SECOND EDITION WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 | Ashwin 8, 1422, Zilhaj 8, 1436 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 160 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10 WELCOME TO HOTEL CATTLEFORNIA PAGE 32 RAMPAL GETS BIDS FROM CONSTRUCTION MAJORS PAGE 3 PALESTINIANS LOSE FAITH IN TWO-STATE SOLUTION PAGE 9 PAGE 3 23 more cases against BASIC Bank officials PAGE 7 Doctors on strike in Satkhira PAGE 4 106,373 Bangladeshis go on Hajj this year PAGE 4 AL man’s body found on railway tracks PAGE 5 13 indicted in Rajon murder case Highway respite for holidaymakers n Shohel Mamun The mad rush to village homes is still there ahead of Eid celebrations, but the sufferings of holidaymakers have been reduced this year, thanks to a number of initiatives by the authorities concerned. Bus drivers and passengers said they were still experiencing traffic jams during their long-distance journeys, but appreciated how highway congestions were now forming in fewer locations and were brief in duration compared to previous years. “I came from Dinajpur. Although I did not find any huge traffic jam at any single place, there were [small] congestions near intersec- tions at Savar, Chandra and Bogra,” said Ros- tam Ali, a bus driver of Hanif Enterprise. Bus passengers told the Dhaka Tribune that buses were still failing to arrive at the terminals in time while the outbound traffic flow from Dhaka city was also slow; but apart from that, traffic jams were less frequent on the highways than other years. The police authorities credited the PAGE 2 COLUMN 1 Clients pay as banks fail to curb counterfeit circulation n Jebun Nesa Alo According to reports, finding fake currency notes in the stacks of money given by banks to clients when they make withdrawals is becoming increasingly common, exacting a heavy toll on clients. Clients say the circulation of counterfeit notes seems to rise ahead of the two Eid fes- tivals. Depositors withdrawing cash say they fre- quently spot one or two counterfeit notes in the stacks they are given at the cash counter, but only after they have taken the money home. They say it is virtually impossible to check each and every note manually right at the counter. To make matters worse, banks refuse to take back false currency notes that are detect- ed by customers after they have left the bank, on the grounds that no complaint will be ad- dressed once a client leaves the cash counter. Asked about it, Bangladesh Bank Execu- tive Director Subhankar Saha said there is no instruction from the central bank that clients cannot complain to commercial banks about fake notes or any other objection regarding cash after leaving the cash counters. But banks, nevertheless, routinely make this claim to aggrieved customers. With reference to a circular, Subhankar said banks must count out their cash when receiving money from the Bangladesh PAGE 2 COLUMN 1 Mega project taken to reduce water stagnation in Dhaka n Tribune Report The government has taken up a mega project to dig a canal in the north of Dhaka to ease water stagnation problem of some of the posh areas of the city. The Executive Committee of the Nation- al Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the Tk5,530-crore project for digging a 100-foot canal from Kuril to Balu river beside the Kuril-Purbachal Link Road. An Ecnec meeting, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, gave the approval yesterday. The capital development authority Rajuk will implement the project by August 2018 in line with the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka and the entire fund will come from the state coffer. This comes in the middle of an unusually long monsoon season in the country during which some of the major cities – including Dhaka and Chittagong – have experienced severe water stagnation every time there is heavier-than-normal rainfall. Thanks to rampant encroachment, most of the canals around Dhaka – which work as out- lets for rainwater – have ceased to exist and urban planners have always identified this as the main reason behind the capital city’s wa- ter stagnation problem. Project documents show that the main aim is to solve water stagnation problem in PAGE 2 COLUMN 4 »» Long traffic tailbacks at the Kanchpur Bridge, one of the main exit points from Dhaka, are nothing new, especially during Eid festivals, as seen yesterday. But this year the highways have remained relatively free with such clogging noticed only at the exit points DHAKA TRIBUNE
Transcript
SECOND EDITION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 | Ashwin 8, 1422, Zilhaj 8, 1436 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 160 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10
WELCOME TO HOTEL CATTLEFORNIA PAGE 32
RAMPAL GETS BIDS FROM CONSTRUCTION MAJORS PAGE 3
PALESTINIANS LOSE FAITH IN TWO-STATE SOLUTION PAGE 9
PAGE 323 more cases against BASIC Bank o� cials
PAGE 7 Doctors on strike in Satkhira
PAGE 4106,373 Bangladeshis go on Hajj this year
PAGE 4AL man’s body found on railway tracks
PAGE 513 indicted in Rajon murder case
Highway respite for holidaymakersn Shohel Mamun
The mad rush to village homes is still there ahead of Eid celebrations, but the su� erings of holidaymakers have been reduced this year, thanks to a number of initiatives by the authorities concerned.
Bus drivers and passengers said they were still experiencing tra� c jams during their long-distance journeys, but appreciated how highway congestions were now forming in fewer locations and were brief in duration compared to previous years.
“I came from Dinajpur. Although I did not � nd any huge tra� c jam at any single place, there were [small] congestions near intersec-tions at Savar, Chandra and Bogra,” said Ros-tam Ali, a bus driver of Hanif Enterprise.
Bus passengers told the Dhaka Tribune that buses were still failing to arrive at the terminals in time while the outbound tra� c � ow from Dhaka city was also slow; but apart from that, tra� c jams were less frequent on the highways than other years.
The police authorities credited the PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
Clients pay as banks fail to curb counterfeit circulation n Jebun Nesa Alo
According to reports, � nding fake currency notes in the stacks of money given by banks to clients when they make withdrawals is becoming increasingly common, exacting a heavy toll on clients.
Clients say the circulation of counterfeit notes seems to rise ahead of the two Eid fes-tivals.
Depositors withdrawing cash say they fre-quently spot one or two counterfeit notes in the stacks they are given at the cash counter, but only after they have taken the money home. They say it is virtually impossible to check each and every note manually right at the counter.
To make matters worse, banks refuse to take back false currency notes that are detect-ed by customers after they have left the bank, on the grounds that no complaint will be ad-dressed once a client leaves the cash counter.
Asked about it, Bangladesh Bank Execu-tive Director Subhankar Saha said there is no instruction from the central bank that clients cannot complain to commercial banks about fake notes or any other objection regarding cash after leaving the cash counters.
But banks, nevertheless, routinely make this claim to aggrieved customers.
With reference to a circular, Subhankar said banks must count out their cash when receiving money from the Bangladesh
PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
Mega project taken to reduce water stagnation in Dhakan Tribune Report
The government has taken up a mega project to dig a canal in the north of Dhaka to ease water stagnation problem of some of the posh areas of the city.
The Executive Committee of the Nation-al Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the Tk5,530-crore project for digging a 100-foot canal from Kuril to Balu river beside the Kuril-Purbachal Link Road.
An Ecnec meeting, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, gave the approval yesterday.
The capital development authority Rajuk will implement the project by August 2018 in line with the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for
Dhaka and the entire fund will come from the state co� er.
This comes in the middle of an unusually long monsoon season in the country during which some of the major cities – including Dhaka and Chittagong – have experienced severe water stagnation every time there is heavier-than-normal rainfall.
Thanks to rampant encroachment, most of the canals around Dhaka – which work as out-lets for rainwater – have ceased to exist and urban planners have always identi� ed this as the main reason behind the capital city’s wa-ter stagnation problem.
Project documents show that the main aim is to solve water stagnation problem in
PAGE 2 COLUMN 4
»»Long tra� c tailbacks at the Kanchpur Bridge,
one of the main exit points from Dhaka, are nothing new, especially during Eid festivals, as
seen yesterday. But this year the highways have remained relatively free with such clogging
noticed only at the exit points DHAKA TRIBUNE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015NEWS2DT
Highway respite for holidaymakersimprovement of the scenario to the dedi-cation of thousands of policemen working round the clock to keep vehicles moving on the highways.
“We have deployed more than 5,000 po-licemen at 10 intersections of di� erent high-ways around Dhaka. Community police and transport workers are also working with them to keep the tra� c � ow normal, even though there is a huge pressure of west-bound vehi-cles on the highways,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman.
Talking to reporters at the Chandra inter-section yesterday, the DIG said over 1,000 po-lice are now working to control tra� c on the Chandra-Tangail road, which saw huge grid-locks in the past few days.
Meanwhile, to ensure a smooth journey for holidaymakers, the Road Transport and High-ways Division has opened a control room, which is operating round the clock with 67 o� cials on the roster.
The o� cials working at the control room are providing real-time decisions as soon as they are receiving reports of any problem on the highways, said the division’s Secretary MAN Siddique.
Dhaka exit points cloggedEven though reports suggested that the highways outside Dhaka remained relative-
ly free this year, the exit points of the cap-ital continued to stay clogged with heavytra� c.
Just outside Dhaka, several points on the Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong high-ways experienced tra� c tailbacks yesterday, while potholed roads further compounded su� erings for the passengers.
Our Narayanganj correspondent reports that a long tailback was formed near the Shimrail intersection.
When this report was � led at 2pm yes-terday, the queue of moving vehicles had stretched as far as Signboard intersection from Madanpur on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
The Dhaka-Sylhet highway also saw in-creased pressure, with the tailback stretching up to the Rupshi area.
Mollah Taslimuddin, the on-duty tra� c inspector at Shimrail, said: “Damaged roads are causing tra� c to move slow at the eastern slope of Kanchpur Bridge, Madanpur and sev-eral places in Rupganj. Tra� c jams are form-ing whenever wheels are getting stuck in the potholes.
“Around 60 personnel from the police, tra� c police and highway police forces are working in two shifts to reduce tra� c jam at Shimrail. Still they are struggling to cope with the pressure as rain has complicated the situ-ation even further. However, there would not
have been so much congestion if the road was free of potholes,” Taslimuddin added.
Meanwhile, AKM Shamsuddin Ahmed, Roads and Highways Division’s executive en-gineer for Narayanganj zone, told the Dhaka Tribune that they have already repaired the road at several locations, but rain had been hampering the work.
Alternative approach solves train delays Although the railway system has been fre-quently blamed in the past for having erratic timetable during the Eid rush, improvements have now been made to ensure proper service to travellers.
Authorities said they have taken alterna-tive approaches to tackle complications sur-rounding long-distance routes.
“We have cut the distances of Lalmoni Ex-press [to Lalmonirhat] and Nilsagar Express [to Nilphamari] by at least 150km. It is help-ing us to maintain the train schedules. These trains had always faced delays in the last few years because of the long distance,” said Amzad Hossain, director general of Bangla-desh Railway.
“These trains now turn back from Rangpur while two Demu trains then carry the passen-gers to their � nal destinations,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, most trains departed Kamal-apur Railway Station on time yesterday, ac-
cording to the station manager, Sitangshu Chattarjee. However, the Rangpur Express and the Rajshahi-bound Silk City Express faced one-hour delays. l
Clients pay as banks fail to curb counterfeit circulationBank cash counter and the central bank does not entertain complaints made after the cash has been taken.
But the instruction is only applicable to transactions between Bangladesh Bank and the scheduled banks, he said.
“We will formulate a guideline to address the counterfeit note issue that is straining re-lations between banks and clients,” he said.
Although Bangladesh Bank has asked com-mercial banks to use fake note detection de-vices to ensure that the public receives gen-uine notes, the instruction is rarely followed.
Rahat Mahmood Raquib, a client of a com-mercial bank, narrated his ordeal with his bank after receiving a fake note of Tk1,000 denomination.
He said the note was spotted in a Tk1 lakh
bundle that he withdrew from the Satmasjid Road branch of a well-respected commercial bank on August 13.
“I withdrew Tk4 lakh from the branch that day. The bank provided me with three bun-dles of Tk1,000 and two of Tk500.”
Rahat said on August 16 afternoon, he went to deposit the amount at another bank which identi� ed the fake note in one of the thousand taka stacks.
“The bank returned the bundle to me with-out damaging the sticker of the original bank that had given me the cash, and suggested re-turning it to the bank where the money had been withdrawn from.”
On August 17, he went to the original bank, but the bank refused to take the money back and the branch operating manager refused even
to discuss the issue of her bank’s culpability. The bank o� cial simply stated that no
complaint is accepted once a client leaves the bank counter, Rahat recalled.
When asked about the case, the operating manager declined to comment further.
Her bank told the Dhaka Tribune that the law says banks cannot accept any complaint unless it is made at the time of withdrawal, as per Bangladesh Bank rules, even though this rule, in fact, does not apply to transactions between commercial banks and their clients.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Rahat ex-plained that it is di� cult for customers to scrutinise each and every note while count-ing. “We trust the banks and believe they will never allow false notes to slip into the bun-dles of money.”
He later client � led a complaint with Bang-ladesh Bank.
Police have seized fake notes worth over Tk1.62 crore between January and July this year against which 52 cases have been � led.
There are loopholes in the existing rules about fake notes, a deputy general manager of Bangladesh Bank admitted, asking not to be named.
“Once, my wife received a counterfeit note from a bank,” he said.
“We will take steps to address the problems clients are facing over false notes,” he said.
The central bank has taken various meas-ures to stem the circulation of false notes, the o� cial said. Bank managers should apply prudence when dealing with the matter, he added. l
Mega project taken to reduce water stagnation in Dhakathe city’s Nikunja, Baridhara, Joar Sahara, Baridhara DOHS, Cantonment, airport and Kalachanpur and their adjacent areas.
Major activities include acquiring around 3.8 hectares of land and excavating over 728,522 cubic metres of land.
During yesterday’s Ecnec meeting, PM Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities to keep provisions for water bodies while laying out development plans.
She also reminded that the development of more than 100 plots in the Nikunja residen-tial area had been cancelled out of fear that it might lead to worse water stagnation in the adjacent areas during heavy rainfall, accord-ing to o� cials.
The PM asked the authorities to not let an-ything come in the way of this project and as-sured them that she would always be with them.
The Ecnect yesterday also approved � ve other development projects. l
Biometric SIM registration from Novembern Tribune Report
State minister for telecom Tarana Halim has said that SIM registration using biometric data would start on a pilot basis in November.
Registration process would be launched on December 16, she told reporters yesterday be-fore a meeting at the Secretariat.
Chief executive o� cers of all mobile phone operators and representatives from BTRC, NID registration wing of the Election Com-mission and National Telecommunications Monitoring Cell attended the meeting.
Tarana Halim said a recent reveri� cation of SIM registration had found that a total of 43,490 SIM cards were registered under four fake NID cards.
Until yesterday, registration of one crore sub-
scribers have been reveri� ed and it was found that only 2.5 million were registered properly.
Meeting sources said the Telecommunication Division has decided to ask for the details of mo-bile phone connections registered before 2012.
Tarana said all mobile operators will send text messages to these subscribers asking for their NID numbers, names and dates of birth. The information sent by the subscribers in reply text messages will then be matched with the na-tional identity database for any discrepancies.
The operators until now have submitted data of around 130 million SIM cards to the NID wing which is only 7.65% of the total SIMs sold out.
Its is a very insigni� cant number of SIMs but the Telecommunication Division is mon-itoring and updating the SIM registrations everyday, the state minister said. l
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina make a courtesy call on President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban yesterday on the eve of her New York tour PID
NEWS 3D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Rampal gets bids from construction majors n Aminur Rahman Rasel
Three top-tier international companies yes-terday submitted tender documents to set up the 2 x 660MW Maitree Super Coal-� red Ther-mal Power Plant in Rampal on an Engineer-ing, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract basis.
“Six international bidders had bought ten-der documents. Of them, three interested companies submitted tender documents to set up the Maitree Super Coal-� red Thermal Power Plant,” Managing Director U K Bhat-tacharya of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Pvt Ltd (BIFPCL), the pro-ject’s implementation agency, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
“This is a good news for us. We hope that we can complete the project on time,” he said.
The government expects to begin generat-ing electricity at Rampal power plant by De-cember 2018. The estimated cost of the pro-ject is around $2 billion.
The companies are Japan-based Marube-ni Corporation, China-based Harbin Elec-
tric International Company Limited and In-dia-based Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.
They each submitted techno-commercial and � nancial bid documents. Only, the tech-no-commercial bid documents were opened yesterday.
An eight-member committee headed by U K Bhattacharya will evaluate the techno-com-mercial bids and will only consider the � nan-cial bid documents of those companies whose techno-commercial bids qualify.
“We hope to � nally select a company to
award the deal to by January 2016,” a senior BIFPCL o� cial said.
“Banks in the countries where the bidding companies are based have shown an interest in investing in the Rampal project. The com-panies which are interested in building the
power plant have convinced banks in their home countries to invest in the project,”he added.
On February 12, BIFPCL invited bids to set up the plant. The original May 18 deadline was extended to July 16 because the invita-tion for bids drew a poor response. The � nal deadline was set for September 22.
BIFPCL is a joint-venture between Bang-ladesh’s Power Development Board and In-dia’s National Thermal Power Corporation, who jointly have 30% equity on an equal share basis. The remaining 70% will be mobi-lised as Export Credit Agency loans and bank� nancing.
The government plans to set up a series of coal-� red power projects to generate an ad-ditional 20,000MW of electricity by the year 2030. l
23 more cases against BASIC Bank o� cialsn Adil Sakhawat
The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday � led 23 more cases regarding the much-talked BASIC Bank loan scam.
The cases were � led with Motijheel, Paltan and Gulshan po-lice stations, said an o� cial of the commission adding that it would lodge 15 more cases very soon.
The anti-graft body on Monday � led 18 cases regarding the alleged embezzlement of Tk747.13 crore against 153 accused in-cluding the bank’s former managing director Kazi Fakhrul Islam.
None of the cases mentioned former chairman Abdul Hye Bac-chu as an accused.
The commission even did not � nd the proof of involvement of any member of the board of directors in the scam. It has so far given approval to � ling 56 cases regarding the irregularities.
The former MD, the branch managers, and members of the loan committee and the loan veri� cation committee of the head o� ce have been made accused in most of the cases for embezzle-ment and mismanagement in sanctioning the loans. l
Domestic air tickets sold out ahead of Eidn Ishtiaq Husain
With only two days left to Eid-ul-Azha, domestic tickets of almost all airlines, including Biman Bangladesh, have been sold out.
When inquired, airline companies yesterday said they had added extra � ights considering the demand of home-bound pas-sengers but tickets to those � ights were also sold out.
Airlines sources said nearly all tickets from Dhaka to Sylhet, Jessore, Rajshahi, Syedpur, Barisal and Chittagong for September 23 and 24 have been sold out.
A Biman Bangladesh high-up, seeking anonymity, said all do-mestic air tickets from Dhaka to di� erent parts of the country have already been sold out. “Biman had introduced four extra � ights from Dhaka on the Jessore, Rajshahi, Syedpur and Barisal routes, but the demand was not met as they are asking for more � ights. We do not have enough facility to increase � ights,” he said.
Deputy General Manager Kamrul Islam of United Airways de-scribed a similar situation and said all tickets have been sold out.
The same scenario was found talking to US-Bangla Air o� -cials. However, they said the company is planning to add extra � ights on the Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Barisal routes to ease the hassle of home-bound passengers.
Novo Air Marketing and Sales Manager Mahfuzul Alam said tickets for most routes have been sold out but few tickets are still available. l
'The companies which are interested in building the power plant have convinced banks in their home countries to invest in the project'
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015NEWS4DT
106,373 Bangladeshi pilgrims performing Hajj this year n Tribune Report
This year some 106,373 Bangladeshis are mak-ing the journey to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, of whom 4,873 are going under the extra allotment of 5,000 allowed by the Saudi Ara-bian government, according to Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) President Ibrahim Bahar.
He said: “Due to problems using the online system of the Saudi Arabian embassy, 127 as-pirants of the extra quota of 5,000 permitted by the Saudi government failed to make the pilgrimage.”
He said those who did not get visas were promptly reimbursed by the travel agencies.
Yesterday at the Askona Hajj Camp, the Dhaka Tribune met more than 200 aspirants who had received their visas but were still
waiting for plane tickets. They � nally � ew out of the country at one
minute before midnight yesterday on a reg-ularly scheduled Biman Bangladesh Airlines � ight, according to HAAB Vice President Farid Ahmed Majumder.
Pilgrims who are going on Hajj this year from the extra quota will be supervised by HAAB. Their muallim fees, plane fares and house rents had been deposited in HAAB ac-counts.
Farid said: “Eight houses have been rent-ed for the extra pilgrims. Some 2,500 pilgrims will live in two large houses and the remain-der will be placed in another six houses.
“I suspect some pilgrims will face accom-modation problems after reaching Saudi Ara-bia. HAAB and government o� cials will be there to solve whatever problems arise.” l
AL man’s body found on railway trackn Kamrul Hasan
Railway police yesterday recovered the dead body of an Awami League supporter from railway track beside the Karwan Bazar slum in Dhaka.
The family of the deceased, Golam Nabi alias Milon, 31, a resident of Rampur area in Dhaka, claimed that it was a political murder, but police suspect that it was an accident.
Milon was also the organising secretary of the Dhaka north unit of pro-Awami Leuage or-ganisation Shoinik League.
An assistant sub-inspector of Railway Po-lice said they had recovered the body around 1:30am yesterday. They con� rmed his identi-ty from the national identity card and his call-ing card, which were found in his pocket, and then informed his family.
His elder sister, Monira Chowdhury who
is the general secretary of a local unit of the Awami League’s women’s front Mohila League in Dhaka, claimed that her brother was killed elsewhere the dead body was later dumped on the railway track.
She also said that Milon had a longstand-ing rivalry with Moazzem Hossain Topu, a Dhaka-based leader of ruling party’s student body Chhatra League, and the murder could be a result of that. l
DB police arrested � ve robbers from cityn Kamrul Hasan
Detective Branch (DB) of police in several drives yesterday arrested � ve robbers from di� erent places of the capital.
DB police also recovered two pick-up vans, three micro-buses, one private car and some lethal weapons from their possessions.
The arrestees were gang leader Faisal, Sha� qul Islam Sajol, Bulu Miah, Mohiuddin and Aslam Hossain.
In a press brie� ng at the DMP Media Cen-tre, Deputy Commissioner (North) of DB police Sheikh Nazmul Alam disclosed the ar-rests.
According to the investigators, on June 25 a gang of 15-16 robbers lifted a micro-bus of a private television channel Ekattor TV from the capital’s Darus Salam area.
On June 27, they stole another micro-bus from the Agriculture University area of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
They also stole a Noah micro-bus from the city’s Kafrul area on May 19, a microbus and cell phone set from Baitul Aman area of Adabar on August 18 and a micro-bus from Motijheel area on May 2.
DC Nazmul said Adabor police arrested
Sohrab for his alleged involvement in the rob-bery case.
Later, the case was handed over to DB police. According to Sohrab’s confession DB police arrested Manjur Ali from Uttara West area.
Later, based on their confessions, police arrested Sha� qul and Bulu from Sanarpar area of Narayanganj.
And on the information gleaned from Sha� qul and Bulu police then arrested ring leader Faisal and two of his accomplices – Mo-hiuddin and Aslam – from capital’s Kadamtoli area with two pick-up vans used in robbery and three lethal weapons.
Meanwhile, police recovered four mi-cro-buses each from Tarabo of Rupganj area in Narayanganj, Vatara in Dhaka city, Surma in Sylhet and Narshingdi.
A source in police said Faisal and Titu lead the gang involving Aslam, Mohiuddin, Sohr-ab, Korban Ali, Shukkur Ali, Nahid, Selim, Robin, Abdullah, Sohel and Mizan to steal vehicles.
DC Nazmul said the gang targets vehi-cles in secluded areas and snatch them after blocking their way. Drives to arrest the rest were on, he added. l
Seven held for question leakn Kamrul Hasan
Amid outcry for cancelling the medical ad-mission test held on Friday, RAB members of have arrested seven more persons, including three doctors, from Rangpur for their alleged involvement in leaking question papers.
The detained physicians are Dr Mosta� zur Rahman Pavel, 33, medical o� cer of Rang-pur Sadar Upazila Health Complex; Dr Zillur Hasan Rony, 33, assistant registrar of Rang-pur Medical College Hospital; and Dr Shariful Islam Ontu, 25, assistant registrar of surgery department at RMCH.
The four others are teachers at di� erent coaching centres of the area. Their identities were not revealed by the elite force “for the sake of investigation,” RAB said.
Maj Ashraf Ali, the company commander of crime prevention company in Rangpur, said that the three doctors and others had been ar-rested early yesterday. They would be handed over to the authorities concerned. l
Aggrieved teachers await response n Tribune Report
Primary school teachers and headmasters yesterday issued an ultimatum to the govern-ment, saying a failure to meet their demands by October 14 might cause them to boycott the Primary School Certi� cate (PSC) exam.
Primary school educators sent a written statement of their grievances to the Director General for Primary Education Mohammad Alamgir, Primary Teachers Association General Secretary Md Anowarul Islam Tota con� rmed.
“The letter will be submitted to the Minis-try of Education today,” Anowarul said.
Teachers are threatening stern action if their demands are not met by October 14, he said. “If necessary, teachers will boycott the Primary School Certi� cate (PSC) exam.”
Anowarul said on March 9, 2014, Sheikh Hasina had upgraded their status to grade 2 from grade 3 and enhanced the pay scale of government primary school head teachers.
The primary school educators demanded the reinstatement of selection grade and time scale provisions, an autonomous pay scale for teachers and cent percent promotion. l
The 51st anniversary of independence of Mal-ta was celebrated in Dhaka on September 19.
High Commissioner of Malta to Bangladesh H E John Aquilina, Consul of Malta to Dhaka H E M Shoeb Chowdhury and his spouse hosted the gala reception at a city hotel.
Liberation War A� airs Minister AKM Mo-zammel Haque and Former Information sec-retary Syed Marghub Murshed, among others, were present in the programme. l
NEWS 5D
T
Importer among six sued over Indian rupee seizure n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
The authorities yesterday lodged a case accusing six persons includ-ing the importer and the clearing & forwarding agent of a consignment, seized on Sunday for smuggling in a large amount of Indian currency that are presumably counterfeit.
Revenue O� cer of the Directo-rate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIID) Bidhan Kumar Barua � led the case with Bandar police under the Customs Act, the Special Powers Act and the Baggage Act, police said.
Five of the accused – C&F agent Flash Trade International Chairman ASM Sayem Shamim, its Managing Director Md Asadullah, sta� s Ah-mad Ullad and Kaosar Alam, and importer Dubai-expatriate Shahi-duzzaman’s brother Towhidul Alam – were arrested after the seizure, Bandar police O� cer-in-Charge AKM Mohiuddin Selim said.
Importer Shahiduzzaman is on the run, the OC added. l
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
13 indicted in Rajon murder casen Our Correspondent, Sylhet
A court in Sylhet yesterday framed charges against 13 people in connection with the mur-der of 13-year-old boy Rajon two and a half months ago.
However, main culprits Kamrul Islam, now is Saudi Arabia, his brother Shamim Alam and Pavel Islam are all on the run.
The remaining 10 accused were all pro-duced before the court of Sylhet Metropolitan Sessions Judge Akbar Mridha yesterday. After charge framing, the court ordered for com-mencing trial in the Rajon Murder Case.
Sources said that the case had been trans-ferred to this court on September 7 by Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Shahedul Karim. The sessions judge’s court held the � rst hear-ing in this case on September 16.
Eight of the accused have already given confessional statements under Section 164 of the penal code. The prosecution have given a list of 38 witnesses.
In the morning of July 8, a group of people tied Rajon to a pole and beat him to death, ac-
cusing the boy of being a thief. The killers also videoed the incident and
later uploaded a 28-minute clip to the internet that immediately went viral on social and main-stream media. It also drew in widespread con-demnation, prompting the law enforcement authorities to take action against the killers.
One of the killers, Kamrul, � ed to Saudi Arabia a day after the murder. Later, embas-sy sta� Saudi Arabia, with help from Bang-ladeshi migrants, rounded up Kamrul. He is now in the custody of Saudi police.
Recently, the Saudi government has issued a royal decree for repatriating Kamrul.
Allegations have it that local police helped Kamrul � ee and harassed Rajon’s father, the plainti� of the case. Following departmen-tal investigation, one police o� cial was sus-pended and another was closed.
The � rst helped Kamrul � ee and harassed Rajon’s father Azizur Rahman, the plainti� of the case. The other, former OC of the Jalala-bad police station in Sylhet, was closed for negligence in duty. None of these two police-men were included in the charge sheet. l
Cattle markets gather momentumn Abu Hayat Mahmud
With Eid only a couple of days away, cattle traders are demanding in� ated prices for moderately-sized cows, buyers have alleged.
Although price trends were di� erent at separate cattle markets in the capital, the Dhaka Tribune received reports of unusual asking prices set by cattle traders.
In the city’s largest cattle market in Gabto-li, the last few days saw asking prices report-edly going up as far as Tk22 lakh for a single cow, while a Rajshahi trader named Matin Miah yesterday put a Tk13 lakh tag on his cow.
Sources said the Tk22 lakh cow was even-tually sold for Tk10.5 lakh.
Despite the wayward prices, the cattle mar-kets in the city � nally started to gather some momentum yesterday morning, which was not dampened by a spell of afternoon rain.
Although a higher number of customers thronged the cattle markets yesterday, most of them expressed discontent at the high prices.
“At � rst, my budget was Tk60,000. But I was forced to increase it to Tk75,000 to buy a cow that weighs approximately 140kg. This makes each kg of meat cost more than Tk500,” said buyer Mamunur Rashid at Gabtoli.
“What can I do? Only two days remain before Eid. So, I had to buy it as no medium-sized cow is available at my initial budget. Most traders are demanding large amounts for small cows, may-be because Indian cows are still not available.”
The traders, however, were happy with how things have been turning out.
Rahmat Ali from Jhenaidah told the Dhaka Tribune that since Sunday he has sold 12 out of the 35 cows he brought to the Gabtoli market.
“I hope that the other 23 cows will be also sold by Friday. Some customers also come on the evening of Eid day,” he said.
Many cattle traders said if trends turn out to be like previous years, customer numbers will increase from today and hit its peak to-morrow – the � rst day of the three-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday.
This year, Dhaka city has 22 makeshift markets alongside the permanent market in Gabtoli. l
Rakib murder case indictment October 5n Our Correspondent, Khulna
A Khulna court yesterday took cognisance of charges in Rakib murder case and set October 5 to frame charges against three accused.
Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court acting judge Dilruba Sultana passed the order. The court also rejected the bail petitions � led in favour of the accused, said Md Mominul Is-lam, counsel for the plainti� .
The accused – Sharif Motors owner Md Sharif, his mother Beauty Begum and so-called uncle Mintu Miah – were produced before the court yesterday. They earlier con-fessed to killing Rakib.
Victim’s family also witnessed the case proceedings yesterday. Mominul, coordinator of the Khulna unit of Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights, is running the case on behalf of Rakib’s family.
On August 3, Md Rakibul Islam died after his former employer Sharif and two other ac-cused tortured him to death in the city’s Tut-para area. Sharif also pumped air through his rectum allegedly for leaving work at the mo-torcycle garage and taking up a job elsewhere. The were arrested the same night.
Rakib’s father Nurul Islam � led the case the following day against the trio. Police sub-mitted the charge sheet on August 25 naming 40 people as prosecution witnesses. A met-ropolitan magistrate accepted the charges on September 6 and sent the case to the Metro-politan Sessions Judge’s Court for trial.
Meanwhile, Rakib’s family members yes-terday alleged that they had been threatened by the accused and their relatives with dire consequences for � ling the case.
After the hearing, they engaged in an al-tercation with the relatives of the accused outside the court. Later, the police held Abul Kalam Khan and Nargis Begum to take the sit-uation under control. l
Aspiring medical students yesterday stage a sit-in at the Shahbagh roundabout in Dhaka protesting entrance exam question paper leak MEHEDI HASAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015NEWS6DT
Blacksmiths doing brisk business ahead of Eid-ul-Azhan FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong
As only two days left for Eid-ul-Azha, the blacksmiths in Chittagong city are doing brisk business as sale of knives, machetes and choppers has increased remarkably.
While visiting several blacksmiths’ shops in Chittagong city’s Chowuhuny, Riazuddin Bazar, Muradpur, Bakalia-Kalamia Bazar, Hal-ishahar-Boropul and EPZ areas in the district, this correspondent found that all blacksmiths were very passing busy time in making tools.
In addition, the demand of people who sharpen knives, machetes and slaughtering tools has reached in peak.
Abul Kashem of Boropul area told the Dha-ka Tribune that they often forgot to take foods and have bath as the demand of various types of knives, cleavers and other slaughtering tools were high.
“Sometimes people brought iron sheet by their own and asked us to make their desired tools.”
Emdadul Mia, 28, who sharpens tools, said
he usually passed idle time round the year. “The idle time has over as the Eid is com-
ing, my business is going well. Now I am earning Tk1,000 in a day removing the rust of meat cutters”, he added.
Wholesellers and retailers of tools said a small size which use to separate sacri� cial an-imal’s skin are sold at Tk 250 to Tk400, a me-dium size cleaver at Tk600 to Tk1,000 and a butcher knives at Tk250 to Tk400 each.
Md Shah Alam Mia, a retired o� cial of Bangladesh Railway, told the Dhaka Tribune
that as blacksmiths used sub-standard iron for making tools, he brought a solid iron plate to make knife from it.
“Readymade sacri� cial tools are normally made by substandard iron. It breaks when an-yone tries to cut or chop bone,” he added.
Nasir Uddin Patwary, a banker, said his knives and tools were sharpened onSaturday.
“Now, I am waiting for buying a sacri� cial animal and slaughtering it before almighty in a bid to gain god’s satisfaction,” he said. l
Road accidents take lives of 9n Tribune Report
Four people were killed and three others in-jured in a head-on collision between a truck and a CNG-run autorickshaw near Shamolipara bus stand under Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj.
O� cer-in-Charge of Ullapara police station told the Dhaka Tribune that a Pabna-bound onion-laden truck had collided head on with a autorickshaw coming from the opposite di-rection on Monday night, leaving seven peo-ple critically injure.
He said locals took them to a local clinic at night. Later, they died when shifted to Sirajganj Sadar Hospital in the early hours of yesterday.
The deceased are Bachu Sheikh, 30, Alam-gir Hossain, 25, Biplob Hossain and Fulchad Promanik, 40. OC of Hatikumrul highway po-lice station Abdul Kader said they had seized the truck and detained its driver Mudhu Biswas soon after the accident.
A UNB report adds: two people were killed and another injured in
two separate road accidents in Gazipur and Chapainawabganj yesterday morning.
In Gazipur, a covered van driver was killed
and his helper injured as it collided with an-other vehicle at MC Bazar area on Dhaka-My-mensingh Highway in Shibpur upazila early morning on Tuesday.
The deceased was identi� ed as Yusuf Ali, 35, son Afaz Uddin, a resident of Pachgaon village in Araihazar Upazila of Narayanganj district.
ASI of Maona Highway Police Station Md Babul Islam said a covered van of continental courier service hit another truck as its driver lost his control over the wheels at the area around 5.15am, leaving Afaz Uddin dead on the spot and his helper injured.
In Chapainawabganj, an ambulance driver was killed as the ambulance fell into a ditch at Fotepur area in Sadar upazila early morn-ing on Tuesday. The deceased was identi� ed as Abed Ali, 50, son of Ohab Ali hailing from Station para in the Rohanpur municipality of the district and an ambulance driver of Go-mastapur Upazila Health Complex.
Our Kishoreganj correspondent reports: Three people including a driver of a CNG-run autorickshaw were killed in Katabaria area in the evening. The deceased are Raju Mia, 25, Somrat, 20, and driver Gopal Mia, 50. l
Jute mill workers block highway for arrearsn Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar
Under the banner of Privatisation Resistance Committee, workers of state-owned Alim Jute Mills in Khulna put up barricade on the Khulna-Jessore Highway in Atra Industrial area yesterday demanding due payment, Eid bonus and monthly wage.
They also protested against the govern-ment’s plans to privatise the industry.
The barricades on the highway disrupted transport services causing immense su� er-ings to people.
A meeting was also held in on the prem-ises of the mill where workers’ leader Abdus Salam Jamaddar, Syful Islam Mintu, Sarder Abdul Hamid, Mujibur Rahman Makbul, Ab-bas Ali, Iqbal Hossain, Sheikh Zakaria, Anwar Hossain, Abed Ali, Redowan Hossain Bahar, Babul Reza, Akbar Ali, Hafez Abdus Salam and Ra� qul Islam.
The committee convener Md Abdur Rashid presided over the function. l
One lynched in Moulvibazarn Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar
An alleged robber was killed and another in-jured in mass beating at Monipuri village, Ka-malganj upazila in Moulvibazar.
According to Kamalganj police and local people, a group of people went to the house of Kader Ali of Sangaisabi village near the reserve forest at about 9:30pm on Monday night.
Sensing their presence, family members of Kader Ali started shouting. Hearing their hue and cry, local people rushed to spot and caught Rezak Miah and Saiful Islam and gave them a good beating.
They were taken to Kamalganj upazila health complex where the on-duty physicians declared Rezak Miah dead.
Md Enamul Haque, o� cer-in-charge (OC) of Kamalganj police station, said theywere confused as the those people were rob-bers or not.
He said police would � le a case in this con-nection. l
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015NEWS 7
DT
Source: Accuweather/UNB
D H A K ATODAY TOMORROW
SUN SETS 5:55PM SUN RISES 5:48AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
33.0ºC 24.2ºC
Chittagong Dinajpur
SourceL IslamicFinder.org
F O R E C A S T F O R T O D A YDhaka 31 26Chittagong 31 26Rajshahi 30 26Rangpur 28 24Khulna 30 26Barisal 30 26Sylhet 27 24Cox’s Bazar 30 27
PRAYER TIMESFajr 4:30am
Sunrise 5:46amZohr 11:51am
Asr 4:13pmMagrib 5:55pm
Esha 7:25pm
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN
Patients su� er as doctors on strike in Satkhiran Our Correspondent, Satkhira
Hundreds of patients su� ered immensely as doctors of both public hospitals and private clinics in the district went on an inde� nite strike yesterday, demanding the withdraw-al of a murder case � led against doctors and Ekota Hospital.
The physicians also vowed to continue private pactrices until their demand are met. Their other demands include ensuring securi-ty for doctors and nurses.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Medical Associ-ation’s (BMA’s) Satkhira unit acting general secretary Dr Manowar Hossain said the asso-ciation had extended its support to the strike enforced by the doctors of the district.
He said: “We want doctors and nurses se-curity. We do not want to harass people. We try our level best to serve people.”
Earlier, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) � led the case against eight people, in-cluding three doctors of Ekota Hospital as a pregnant woman, Sumona, died after surgery
at that hospital on September 17.People who went to Sakhria Sadar Hospital
yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that doctors of the hospital had not attended patients for the strike.
According to the hospital sources, at least four surgery patients were referred to Khulna Medical College Hospital.
A patient seeking anonymity told the Dha-ka Tribune that patients had not been getting proper treatment since a murder case � led against a doctor.
Many attendants of patients sought health minister’s intervention in this regard.
A doctor said: “We do not treat patients to let them die. But those patients are vulnera-ble can die. But murder case against doctor is not acceptable.”
Every patients signs bond before any sur-gical operation, so how could they � le a case against doctors, he added.
Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Ahsan said some doctors had met with him. He also said that he would look into the matter. l
Water plant encourages people to reforest in Cox’s Bazarn Nure Alam Durjoy back from
Cox’s Bazar
Before August this year, Ayesha Akhtar had to make do with salt water to drink and do house-hold chores because there was no source of fresh water in her village, Nuniarchhara.
But now Ayesha as well as 6,000 other residents of the village, in Cox’s Bazar Sadar upazila, has access to fresh drinking water, thanks to a brand-new solar power-based wa-ter desalination plant.
“It was di� cult, drinking salt water. It was not just the taste; drinking salt water has many health hazards. So I am very happy that we have a way to get fresh water now,” Ayesha told the Dhaka Tribune while collecting fresh water from the plant.
The plant, the � rst in the area, produces around 5,000 litres of drinking water every day. A project of the Department of Environ-ment, the plant went fully operation in Au-gust this year.
The project was jointly � nanced by the government’s Climate Change Trust Fund, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Kingdom of Netherlands.
“There is no source of fresh water withing the 5-7sq-km area around the village. So the villagers had to drink salt water, which has several side-e� ects, including migraine. The children are still sick though they stopped drinking salt water more than a month ago,” said Sardar Shariful Islam, assistant director
of the Department of Environment.“But now they have access to fresh water
through the desalination plant.”However, other than providing fresh water
to the locals of Nuniarchhara, the government had an ulterior motive behind setting up the plant in the area.
“The desalination plant is a gift to us from the government, because we are helping them expand the mangrove forest nearby,” said Md Alam, general secretary of Village Conserva-tion Group.
This is part of the government initiative to involve the general people in protecting forests and wildlife through co-management projects across the country.
“We have been able to expand the forest to around 400 hectares from 60 hectares,” Alam said. “Now migratory birds come to this forest.
“The purpose of setting up the plant here has partly been to encourage the locals to ac-tively participate in conservation and expan-sion of the mangrove forest. And it worked,” Shariful told the Dhaka Tribune.
Dr Sultan Ahmed, director of the Depart-ment of Environment, said: “Most of the land here used to be used for shrimp farming. But now it is covered with trees, and it has been possible because of the locals’ involvement.”
Meanwhile, massive a� orestation of Mo-heskhali and Sonadia islands in Cox’s Bazar is in progress, said RSM Munirul Islam, divi-sional forest o� cer at Coastal Forest Division, Chittagong. l
Nasim: Stern actions against extortion on highwaysn Tribune Report
Awami League presidium member and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim said if anyone was seen realising toll from cattle traders on highways would be arrested.
The minister said this while addressing as the chief guest at the meeting of district co-ordination committee on law and order and development at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference room yesterday morning.
Later, the minister addressed a rally at his Kazipur where he said as a political party BNP would be be ruined if it does not take part in the national polls of 2019, reports BSS.
“Begum Khaleda Zia will have to take re-course to healthy politics refraining from all sorts of conspiracies severing relationship with the Jamaat circle. The next election to the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) will be held under Prime Minister Sheikh in 2019 and her party (BNP) will have to participate in the polls then,” he said.
Mohammad Nasim said this while speak-ing as the chief guest at a public rally organ-ised at his Kazipur home constituency in con-nection with formal laying of the foundation stone of the � ve-storied Dak Bungalow build-ing in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Billal Hossain pre-sided over the rally, also addressed, among others, by police-super Miraj Uddin Ahmed, Chief Executive O� cer of District Council Mahbubur Rahman, District Awami League general secretary Golam Kibria, Upazila chair-man Mozammel Haque Sarkar Bakul, Upazila Nirbahi O� cer Sha� ul Islam, Upazila Awami League president Shawkat Hossain and gen-eral secretary Khalilur Rahman.
Mohammad Nasim said, “BNP and Jamaat have dug their own graves by pursuing poli-tics of killing and taking people as hostages. They tried to jeopardise the country’s devel-opment retarding economic growth unleash-ing arson and vandalism. But, people of the country foiled their evil activities.”
He said, “The country has been marching ahead under the capable and farsighted lead-ership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was applauded in the community of nations for facing successfully the adverse impact of climate change. She has already been decorat-ed with the United Nations highest award on environment a� airs-Champions of the Earth. It’s a glory for the nation.”l
One to die for killing studentn Our Correspondent, Narsingdi
A court in the district sentenced a man to death and seven others to life term imprisonment yesterday for killing a madrasa student in 2011.
According to the prosecution, Farid Mian, of Saterkao village under Monhordi and his cohorts killed Mahfuj, a student of Mono-hordi Upazial Madrasa as he protested them while they were taking drug in the area on No-vember 10, 2011.
Later, the father of the victim � led a case accusing eight people. Examining the re-cords, the court sentenced Farid to death and seven others to life term imprisonment.
Public prosecutor of District Sessions and Judge Court NM Ruhul Amin con� rmed the incident. l
Five members of a robber’s gang presented at the DMP media centre yesterday after arrest from di� erent parts of the capital MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015WORLD8DT
Afghan Taliban chief: No peace until foreign troops leave n AFP, Kabul
The Taliban’s new leader told Kabul on Tues-day it must cancel a security deal with the US and expel all foreign troops if it wants peace.
Mullah Mansour made the demand in a message marking the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Azha.
“If the Kabul administration wants to end the war and establish peace in the country, it is possible through ending the occupation and revoking all military and security treaties with the invaders,” Mansour said.
Washington and Kabul signed a deal in September last year allowing around 13,000 foreign troops, including 10,000 US soldiers, to stay on after Nato’s combat mission ended in December 2014.
“The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) believes if the country is not under occupation, the problem of the Afghans can be resolved through intra-Afghan understanding,” Man-sour said in the message posted in English on the Taliban’s website. l
ANALYSISPakistan’s opportunity cost $5bn/yr for Taliban attacksn Reuters, London
Taliban attacks have been costing Pakistan’s econ-omy as much as $5bn a year in lost investment, the country’s � nance secretary said, adding that Islamabad is keeping open the option of another IMF programme.
Speaking as Pakistan o� cials met bond inves-tors in London, Waqar Masood Khan stressed a lot was at stake in the latest $1.9bn three-year military drive to rid the country of the violence.
“Our people have su� ered terribly over the last 1-1/2 decades and we have lost out enormously in terms of economic opportunities and output be-cause of this terrorism,” he said.
“We have seen in the past foreign (investment) in� ows of $5bn-$7bn but today we are not even having $2bn,” he said, noting that security costs and damage to the economy had to be added to that.
With the army making headway against the Tal-iban in North Waziristan, the situation was � nally “reversing.”
Khan said Karachi for example seemed safer than at any time over the last decade and “exporters
who met with the prime minister recently said their customers are now coming (to Pakistan)” again.
The Pakistan economy is bene� tting from the near 60% drop in global oil prices, its biggest im-port. Its central bank has also been cutting interest rates while its IMF programme is clamping down on corruption.
GDP growth is expected to be 5.5% for the year to June 2016. Reserves are expected to top $20bn, 4-5 months of import cover, this month or next.
“In the 1960s and 80s Pakistan achieved growth rates of 6%-7%. We are held back by the internal problems and the terrorism. Once we have it under control we should really be a breakout country as justi� ed by our potential,” he said.
IMF programmesPakistan’s � nancial markets have been performing well for the most part and Khan said a coming debt sale, details of which should be announced later this week, could see it sell more than the originally envisaged $500m.
“We are not � xated on the size, we can de� nite-ly do more and we are open with regards to the
tenor too,” Khan said. “Last time we raised $2bn.“And we will do a sukuk (sharia-compliant
bond) in ... maybe the April to June quarter,” he added, also likely to be worth $500m.
Power shortages cause daily outages for Pa-kistani � rms and the government says it will take years to � x.
The rupee is holding up better than many emerging market currencies, down less than 2% over the last year, which is hurting exporters.
Eleven out of 12 IMF programmes Pakistan has had since 1998 have been scrapped or abandoned because the government failed to implement re-forms.
It will be viewed as a great success if the current one, due to run until September next year, goes the full distance.
“At this stage it is not clear what we will do, we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Khan said.
“A fund programme is meant to eventually be graduated from and you go it alone, but you nev-er know what how the conditions will evolve and whether there would be any need for a new pro-gramme or not.” l
Study: Revolutionary e� ort needed to reach new SDG goalsn Thomson Reuters Foundation,
Barcelona
Global leaders need to make a revolution-ary e� ort to achieve a new set of develop-ment goals to be adopted at the United Na-tions later this week, as the world is already going backwards on a few of them, a lead-ing thinktank said.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim, within 15 years, to end pover-ty and hunger, ensure equality, improve health and curb climate change, among other challenges.
But new research from the Lon-don-based Overseas Development Institute says 14 of the 17 key targets it assessed - one for each goal - will need a “revolution” in e� ort and approach to speed up progress.
On the three other targets analysed, the world is doing better. It is on track to make more than half the progress required to end extreme poverty, promote economic growth in the least developed countries, and halt deforestation.
“On current trends ... the world will not meet any of the SDGs by 2030,” the study said.
“But if the goals do their job and spur on the global community to deliver a tru-ly transformational agenda, then progress across a range of development issues can and should be faster, smarter and more ef-fective than in recent years.”
Susan Nicolai, one of the report’s au-thors and head of an ODI project on de-velopment progress, said: “There needs to be some pretty serious attention on implementation, and that looks di� erent across the goals and in di� erent regions,” she said.
For example, sub-Saharan African na-tions will need major support to advance faster on nearly all the goals, whereas in South Asia the focus should be on reducing maternal deaths, the report said.
Meanwhile, some of the main problems facing the big emerging economies and the developed world are cutting down on waste and planet-warming emissions.
Targets that will need a reversal in cur-rent trends to be met are reducing income inequality, lowering the number of people living in slums, protecting coral reefs, mit-igating climate change and producing less waste, the ODI report said. l
Muslim pilgrims circle counterclockwise Islam’sholiest shrine, the Kaaba, at the Grand Mosque in Mecca
Sept 20 (Photo: Mohammed Al-Shaikh)
80% of internationalpilgrims from nationalo�cial hajj delegations
20% with tourism companies
$4,600 to $5,000per pilgrim
Average spending740 �re hydrants and 800 taps connectedto 100-kilometre water network
Fire safety100,000 police deployed
Pilgrims expected: Around 2 million
Healthcare25,000 workers8 temporary hospitals
Grand Mosque
Every �t Muslim is expected to perform at least one hajj pilgrimage in a lifetime
Being expanded by around400,000 sq m
12 plasma screens(2 m wide) to broadcast messages to pilgrims outside mosque
The Muslim hajjAnnual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Uproar over Indian encryption law forces authorities to retreatn Reuters, New Delhi
India’s government on Tuesday withdrew a draft law on encryption technology that critics called draconian and unworkable, af-ter complaints from internet freedom activ-ists risked marring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to California’s Silicon Valley this weekend.
The government is pushing to standardise
usage of encryption software and force com-panies to share access to encrypted data with law enforcement agencies, who complain the technology has made their jobs harder.
The measure would have forced internet users to preserve copies of communications sent over encrypted services, including so-cial media such as Twitter and Facebook, for three months.
“Some of the expressions used in the draft
are giving rise to uncalled-for misgivings,” said Communications and Information Min-ister Ravi Shankar Prasad, announcing the withdrawal of the draft law. “I have noted some of the concerns.”
The draft policy would have required users of social messaging services to hand over un-encrypted copies of their communications at the request of the police.
Modi travels this weekend to Silicon Val-
ley, home to leading internet companies whose reputations partly depend on their use of encryption to protect user data.
Activists point to practical obstacles facing the government even if it were able to access the data.
“It would be a huge risk and a massive target for any hackers,” said Raman Jit Singh Chima of Access Now, a group campaigning for greater internet freedom. l
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015WORLD 9
DT
Catalan independence means exit from eurozonen Reuters, Madrid
Spain’s Catalonia region will be auto-matically booted out of the euro zone and its banks will lose access to Europe-an Central Bank facilities if it becomes independent from the rest of coun-try, the Spanish central bank chief said on Monday.
Polls suggest Catalan separatists are on track to win a small majority of seats in the Catalan Parliament at a regional election on next Sunday, the minimum needed to launch a “road map” to seces-sion within 18 months, according to Artur Mas, president of the affluent region in Spain’s northeast.
“The exit from the euro is automatic, the exit from the European Union is im-plied,” Bank of Spain chief Luis Maria Linde said during an event in Madrid.
Uncertainties and tensions over the election are a� ecting Catalan and other Spanish banks, Linde said, echoing wor-ries by major lenders which said a split with Catalonia would threaten � nancial stability.
Spain’s e� orts to reduce one of the euro zone’s highest public de� cits has been cen-tral to regaining market con� dence since 2012 when soaring debt yields pushed the country close to requesting a sovereign bailout. l
INTERVIEW
Catalonia to Spain: Agree on referendum or face unilateral splitn Reuters, Barcelona
The head of Catalonia’s regional government says a unilateral split from Spain is unstop-pable unless the central government agrees to call a binding referendum on indepen-dence.
Artur Mas threw down the gauntlet to Ma-drid less than a week before a local election which Catalan separatists have billed as a proxy vote on secession.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has repeatedly ruled out a breakaway by the wealthy northeastern region and opposed any attempt to hold a referendum.
Mas did not expect matters to change af-ter a national election due in December as not only the ruling People’s Party (PP) but also the opposition Socialists and the smaller Ciudadanos party oppose such a possibility.
“I am very sceptical that a new Spanish government could o� er a deal to Catalonia on holding a referendum,” Mas said in an in-terview with Reuters at the 16th Century Pa-lau de la Generalitat regional headquarters.
“Now, if the question is ‘will you stop the political process in Catalonia’, the answer is no until we have the certainty that we have a speci� c date for a binding referendum on
independence,” he said.Mas also said a political solution based on
a new tax deal or a constitutional accommo-dation for Catalonia was now o� the table and that Spain’s constitutional court would not manage to block a declaration of inde-pendence.
“Three years ago I would have said yes to a � scal pact but the government in Madrid blocked all negotiations and refused this pos-sibility. Now we have to vote on self-determi-nation, we have to vote on independence.”
“If we get a clear and speci� c democrat-ic mandate on September 27, things will change because in the end the independence depends on our will.
“The � scal pact depends on the will of the Spanish government, the change of the Spanish constitution depends on the will of the Spanish population, but the independ-ence of Catalonia depends on the will of the Catalans.”
PressureCatalonia has won a large measure of po-litical and cultural autonomy since the end of the Franco dictatorship, which had re-pressed the region, including banning the use of the Catalan language. But separatist
sentiment has surged in recent years under the slogan “Catalonia is not Spain.”
Polls predict that pro-independence par-ties will win a majority of seats in the region-al parliament in next Sunday’s regional elec-tion but fall short of a majority of vote.
That would not stop them from triggering an 18-month “road map” to independence, Mas said, although most analysts say seces-sion remains unlikely, not least because it would lack popular legitimacy.
The movement has in recent weeks come under attack from Spanish banks and busi-ness. The European Union has also warned that there would be no automatic place in the bloc for an independent Catalonia.
Major Spanish banks, including Catalo-nia-based Caixabank and Sabadell, said a split would be a serious threat to � nancial stability in the region.
Mas dismissed that peril and accused the central Madrid government of pressuring the Catalan banks.
“I am sure that the Spanish institutions and the Spanish government has put a lot of pressure on those (banks). In fact they report to those Spanish institutions right now so it’s quite logical that they bind to this pressure from the central government,” he said. l
Nato o� ers Ukraine support but no armsn Reuters, Kiev
The Nato chief pledged to help Ukraine de-fend itself against pro-Russian separatists on Tuesday but disappointed some in Kiev who seek supplies of defensive weaponry that the West fears would threaten a fragile cease� re with the rebels.
In an opulent gilded state room in the presidential palace, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Ukraine’s National Securi-ty Council it had no closer partner than the US-led military alliance and he signed agree-ments to modernise the armed forces.
“Nato does not provide or supply weap-ons,” Stoltenberg told reporters before the meeting with President Petro Poroshenko and security chiefs, where he stressed the symbol-ic nature of his � rst visit to Ukraine as head of Nato, 18 months after Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.
“The main focus now is the implementa-tion of the Minsk agreement,” Stoltenberg said, adding that Monday was the � rst day since a peace deal was signed in February in which no violations of the cease� re were reg-istered.
The ebb in violence in Ukraine’s east, where the West say Russia is supporting and arming separatists and has positioned its own heavy weapons, was an opportunity for new momentum for diplomacy, Stoltenberg said.
Ukrainian plans to sign a new military doc-trine in Stoltenberg’s presence - a document identifying Russia as Ukraine’s only aggressor - were cancelled, apparently to spare the Nato chief diplomatic embarrassment. l
Survey: Most Palestinians no longer support two-state solutionn Reuters, Ramallah
More than half of Palestinians no longer sup-port a two-state solution to the con� ict with Israel, a survey released on Monday showed, rejecting the goal that has underpinned four decades of international diplomacy.
The poll by the Palestinian Centre for Pol-icy and Survey Research, a leading research group in the Palestinian territories, found that 51% of Palestinians oppose the two-state solution while 48% support it.
The � gures were down from 51% support and 48% opposition three months ago. The survey was carried out on 1,270 people in the occupied West Bank and in Gaza from Sep-tember 17-19.
The two-state solution - an independent Palestine existing side-by-side with Israel - has been the broad objective of negotiations since the mid-1970s and the overriding focus of US-led diplomacy for the past 20 years.
Perhaps more worrying from a sentiment point of view is that nearly two-thirds of those surveyed (65%) said they did not be-lieve the two-state solution was any longer practical because of Israel’s settlement ex-pansion in the West Bank.
The survey was conducted at a time of heightened Israeli-Palestinian tension, par-ticularly over holy al-Aqsa mosque.
It also comes amid deep rifts in Palestin-ian politics between the Fatah’s President Mahmoud Abbas and the Islamist group Ha-
mas, which is in charge in Gaza.“Additionally, the developments indicated
in this poll might have also been triggered by anger at the Arab world as the overwhelming majority believes that Arabs no longer care about the fate of the Palestinians,” the direc-tor of the poll, Khalil Shikaki, said.
As well as increased doubts about the prospects for a peaceful resolution with the Israelis, there is deep-seated mistrust of Ab-bas and the Palestinian leadership and grow-ing support for a return to armed con� ict with Israel.
Nearly two-thirds of Palestinians (65%) want Abbas to resign. Furthermore, satisfac-tion with his performance as president has fallen from 44% three months ago to 38%.
If new elections were held in the Palestin-ian territories, 35% say they would vote for Hamas and 35% for Fatah, down from 39% three months ago.
Asked what the most e� ective way of es-tablishing an independent Palestinian state next to Israel would be, 42% said armed ac-tion and 29% said negotiation. Three months ago only 36% said armed action.
The day before Israeli elections in March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would never be a Palestinian state on his watch, only to reverse himself days later.
However, the survey showed 78% of Pal-estinians think the chances of getting their own state in the next � ve years are “slim to non-existent.” l
Demonstrators hold Palestinian � ags as they celebrate after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a Palestinian-drafted resolution to � y Palestine’s � ag at UN headquarters REUTERS
WORLD10DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
ANALYSIS
What’s ahead of Greece?n AFP, Athens
Weary Greece braced for more painful austerity after Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as prime minister with a mandate to drive through unpopular reforms agreed with the nation’s internation-al creditors.
As a torrential downpour swept Athens, Tsipras took his sec-ond oath of o� ce in eight months and got ready to unveil a cab-inet which will have to apply tough economic reforms he signed onto in July.
“On my honour and conscience, I pledge to uphold the consti-tution and laws” of Greece he said.
Earlier he told President Prokopis Pavlopoulos that a coalition government with the nationalist Independent Greeks (ANEL) par-ty – his allies in the last cabinet – would be sworn in by Wednes-day morning.
On the same day, Tsipras will travel to Brussels for a summit on the refugee crisis, where he will also represent Cyprus. Some 310,000 migrants and refugees have landed on Greek shores from Turkey this year, most of them Syrians � eeing their country’s civil war.
France, Germany, Spain and European Council president Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday pledged to help crisis-hit Greece, both on the economic front and in dealing with the worsening migrant crisis.
But EU partners wasted no time in reminding Greece to get down to work pushing through reforms laid out in a rescue pack-age worth up to €86bn ($97bn).
A second chanceFrom buying a loaf of bread to a visit to the doctor, pain lies in store as the new government readies to raise taxes and rewrite the economic rule-book in line with tough reforms demanded by the country’s lenders in return for Greece’s third international rescue in � ve years.
The economic to-do list was signed in July by Tsipras in a con-troversial deal that alienated anti-euro hardliners who then quit his Syriza party, stripping the premier of his majority and trigger-ing Sunday’s general election.
Tsipras, who had justi� ed the deal he signed in July with Eu-ropean leaders as saving Greece from a chaotic exit from the eu-rozone, said the election victory would “change the balance” in Europe and strengthen Greece’s � ght against endemic corruption and hidden wealth.
Crisis fatigueIn an indication of Greece’s weariness with � ve years of economic crisis and political tumult, nearly 44% of voters sat out the elec-tion – the third vote for Greeks this year including a referendum on austerity. The abstention rate during the January election stood at 36%.
Post-victory celebrations also indicated crisis fatigue with only around 500 jubilant Syriza supporters turning out to congratulate Tsipras on a hot Athens night. In January, 8,000 turned out.
By now a familiar face in the corridors of power in Brussels and other European capitals, Tsipras has pledged to soften the edges of the bailout to help his country’s poorest citizens weather the austerity storm.
Lenders’ review loomsBut the clock is ticking, with a lenders’ review due in October to assess whether Athens is abiding by the cash-for-reforms pro-gramme. At stake is the release of a new €3bn tranche of aid.
Greece’s new parliament, expected to convene on October 1, will have to revise the 2015 budget, taking into account pension and income tax reforms, including taxes on farmers’ income that are set to double by 2017.
The government must also � nalise a procedure to recapitalise Greek banks by December, before new EU-wide bank rescue regu-lations that could a� ect depositors come into play in 2016.
Tsipras must also move quickly to remove capital controls that his previous administration imposed in June to avert a deposit run. l
London HC to rule whether card game bridge a sportn AFP, London
Practitioners of the card game bridge are ap-pearing in London’s High Court this week to argue that their pastime deserves to be con-sidered a sport.
The English Bridge Union (EBU) took le-gal action after British funding body Sport England refused to recognise it as such, preventing the EBU from taking part in
international competitions.“Sport England refused to recognise
bridge as a sport, a position which the EBU believes to be inconsistent with both the wishes of Parliament, and the opinion of sig-ni� cant international sporting organisations,” said an EBU spokesman.
He said that bridge required “undoubted levels of mental skill” and had “known health bene� ts.”
Lawyers acting for the EBU will point out that chess is recognised as a sport by the International Olympic Committee and that both chess and bridge have been invit-ed to apply for inclusion at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Bridge, also known as contact bridge, is a ‘trick-taking’ game involving four players in two competing partnerships and is one of the world’s most popular card games. l
11D
TEDITORIALWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
INSIDE
In interviews with Dhaka Tribune, the new BGMEA president and his predecessor have outlined their strategy for ensuring the RMG sector progresses towards its target of hitting $50bn in exports by 2021.
We welcome the commitment they have made to zero tolerance on compliance issues and the importance of enabling a more open environment for worker representation and trade union involvement.
It is clear that for the Bangladesh RMG industry to grow as everyone hopes, including the hundreds of international brands and stakeholders participating in the Accord and Alliance initiatives, more land needs to be made available to build modern, purpose-built factories.
Around 40% of factories, employing around 1.5 million workers, are still in shared, potentially risky buildings. The new BGMEA leader Siddiqur Rahman is right to warn that if the the government does not expedite implementation of the RMG Palli in Bausia so that closed factories and those housed in shared buildings can be relocated, the risk of lost orders due to safety concerns will increase, threatening jobs.
It is vital that the government does more to assist the industry in the urgent need to support factory owners in completing remediation works to make the RMG sector fully compliant and able to invest in improving productivity and quality.
Shortage of land is the biggest bottleneck to attracting new investment. If this can be mitigated, then the sector’s success and experienced workforce should enable it to attract the funds and orders it needs to grow.
The government has or controls thousands of acres of idle and under-utilised land. This should be leased or sold to develop new RMG parks where investors and RMG companies can build more modern, more productive purpose-built factories.
Everyone, especially the millions of people dependent on the industry for their livelihood, needs the government to do more to help the RMG sector grow sustainably.
Government should lease or sell under-utilised state land to enable RMG companies to modernise and grow
Government should provide more land for RMG development
The Paris dilemma
Still seeking answersIt’s the people who are driving Bangladesh to become a middle-income country, but they are not getting the services they deserve from the nation. What they get is mostly threadbare. The upper tier eats the cream and goes to Singapore for treatment; the general hospitals have cold dirty � oors for the poor
Send us your Op-Ed articles:opinion.dt@dhakatribune.
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Republicans in troubleDonald Trump, with his extreme and bizarre views, has in� uenced other candidates to follow his path to reach the extreme right of the party to get the nomination
Should I call a spade a spade and say that Paris is not a beginning but the end of over two decades of inadequate actions to tackle the biggest existential threat that mankind has ever had to face?
BIG
STO
CK
OPINION12DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
n M Serajul Islam
The second national debate of the 15 Republican candidates hosted on September 15 by CNN left millions of Americans, and millions more
watching outside the country, wondering even more seriously about their views and their policies than after the � rst debate held a month ago. There was also very little in the way of vision from any of the candidates.
What the 15 succeeded in doing, neverthe-less, is, through a series of personal attacks and rebuttals on one another, to establish that the Republican Party has a very serious problem looking into the 2016 polls. They have no one yet in the pack that stands out to become the 45th President of the United States.
Donald Trump, who went to the debate leading the pack by a signi� cant margin, underlined why the debate not only failed to resolve the problem of the Republican Party in choosing a candidate, but also further complicated it. He entered the debate with a 33% rating, with his nearest candidate, an African-American retired surgeon, Dr Benn Carson, at 20%, and most of the rest in the single digits.
He got those numbers despite his bizarre performance in the � rst debate, and even more bizarre follow-up on that bizarre perfor-mance. In fact, his bizarre views and bizarre performances that have put him on top are still keeping him there.
The second debate showed that the Re-publican Party has unwittingly fallen into the disastrous path that Donald Trump set since announcing his candidature and participat-ing in the � rst debate. Most of the 15 hopefuls were thus bashing the immigrants, compet-ing with one another to take the country to war against Iran on the nuclear issue, abusing President Putin like he was some third-world leader that America could abuse and humil-iate. They also seemed like they were in a competition to insult President Obama.
On planned parenthood, the candidates pushed the party to extreme positions and turned gay marriage into a major issue for the 2016 presidential election. In fact, the economy, that in past presidential elections had been the most important issue to deter-mine the winner and the loser, � gured in the second debate only at the fag end, like it was an after-thought.
It was palpably evident after the second debate that whatever the candidates ex-pressed so far on national issues were those that appealed to sections that together would be far short for sending a Republican candi-date to the White House. If that was not bad enough, the world-view of the candidates underlined how far they were from reality.
With the exception of Governor Kasich, to some extent, the rest expressed views on foreign a� airs (that surprisingly topped the list of issues debated) like it was the unques-tionable right of the US to tell the world what to do. In expressing such an unrealistic and absurd world-view, the candidates neverthe-less also made unashamed e� orts to put the
interests of Israel ahead of even those of their own country, like the voters to whom they were appealing were Israelis and not those in the United States.
All the candidates blamed President Obama for US’s present position in the world, where they believed it has little respect. Thus, when Donald Trump stated that he would build the biggest wall with Mexico and make the latter pay for it, there was no protest from the others. Likewise, when he expressed the desire to put ground troops, thousands of them, in Iraq to annihilate ISIS, others were equally hawkish.
Again, with the exception of Governor Kasich, all the other candidates stated that the Iran nuclear deal was a bad one. Senator Cruz stated that, on his � rst day as president, he would tear the deal and throw it into the waste-paper basket.
None of the candidates cared to even think about what the rest of the world would do with such a world-view of a future US
president. For instance, they were all in deni-al that US’s European partners had endorsed the Iran nuclear deal, and had openly urged the US to do so. These candidates were also in denial that China and Russia, who have also signed the deal, would refuse to accept the view expressed by these candidates, and the US simply does not have the ability to impose its will on the world stage with these two major powers in opposition.
The debates exposed and underlined that Washington outsiders now have the Repub-lican Party, with their Tea Party mind-set, cornered on their perceived notion that the rest of the country is unhappy with the fed-eral government. Thus, people like Donald Trump, Ben Carson (a retired surgeon), and Carly Fiona (who is a former CEO of Hewl-ett Packard) are the front-runners over-whelmingly, and senators, former senators, governors with Washington experience, and all seasoned politicians are languishing at the bottom and talking like Washington is the root of all the country’s problems.
If this trend does not change, the Repub-licans will end up choosing someone from a small town in the south -- someone with no clue about Washington or the world, con-testing for the most powerful political o� ce anywhere.
The elections are, however, 14 months away -- the Republicans will choose the � nal candidate at the Republican National Convention, to be held in Cleveland in July of next year. And, in making that choice, the powerful Republican National Committee that has not yet stepped into the act would play a very important role. The committee, which hoped that Donald Trump would sign his name o� into oblivion with his bizarre performance, must now be worried that he is still holding on to his lead. It is also worried
that the candidate with whom it would feel comfortable to win the White House, Gov-ernor Jeb Bush, performed poorly in the last debate.
The Republicans’ worries have been further exacerbated because Donald Trump, with his extreme and bizarre views, has in� u-enced other candidates to follow his path to reach the extreme right of the party to get the nomination. Thus, even if the RNC succeed-ed in denying him the nomination, Donald Trump may have already caused the GOP enough damage for the eventual � ght against the Democratic candidate for the White House, and the longer he stays in the run for the nomination, the greater the damage he would be causing the party.
The Republicans now have a few major problems in its hands: First, to deny Donald Trump the nomination; second, to move the party back to issues that voters would be interested in in a presidential election; and � nally, to choose a candidate who would be able to articulate those issues in running his/her candidature.
The Democrats have taken great comfort from the second GOP debate, although their own front-runner Hillary Clinton is showing a decline in her ratings nationally, owing to her problems with the “emailgate.”
Nevertheless, Eugene Robinson, in an op-ed for the Washington Post on September 14, argued that although “she keeps putting obstacles in her own path ... Hillary Clinton remains the odds-on favorite to become our next president.” The columnist argued for Hillary Clinton based mainly on the Republican Party debates that revealed and underlined “total anarchy” prevailing in the Republican Party. l
M Serajul Islam is a retired career ambassador.
Republicans in troubleIs the Republican Party destined to fail this time as well?
Donald Trump, with his extreme and bizarre views, has in� uenced other candidates to follow his path to reach the extreme right of the party to get the nomination
The Republican Party candidates are racing towards self-destruction REUTERS
OPINION 13D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
n SM Shahrukh
I live in a weird country.Millions died in the war of independ-
ence of 1971, hundreds of thousands were brutally raped, kept under servi-
tude for the pleasures of the marauding army from a thousand miles away; millions were displaced, made to � ee their homesteads, made to lose their valuables, their memories. Some never recovered all that they had lost. But lo and behold, the history of that glorious victory of our independent nation lies in tatters almost four-and-a-half decades after the events of 1971.
I remember with solemn pride the history of the war of our liberation. How much liberated we are from the tyranny of a few is today an academic debate into which I don’t want to delve. But I wish the “history” of the most crucial events of 1971 and, there-
after, the singularly momentous events of our collective life as a nation, were well and truly representative of the “real” and not the self-serving drivel we � nd in many accounts today.
Who made the declaration of independ-ence? Who was a freedom � ghter? Who was a collaborator? Who were oppressed? Who were the oppressors? What was the chetona that guided that war? Many questions, but no de� nitive answers.
Some people write books on it and the country parts like the Red Sea. One side lifts the writer up on their shoulders while the others cry foul. Children learn the histo-ry from their parents or from their family members. Parents with partisan views on the true history impart tainted knowledge to kids -- history presented as � ction with some touch of the real. One man’s hero is another’s retrograde; no one remains above party bias. History has become soft putty, to be given shape at anyone’s whim.
Democracy of some kind or other has been practiced for 25 years now, with a small two-year hiccup of quasi-military, quasi-ci-vilian rule, but we have had a parliament full of elected members. Nobody but a politician can be free of cynicism about the goings-on inside that hallowed, red-brick work of archi-tecture. One group sits in the air-conditioned interior dozing, while another is always out catering to panderers and earning big bucks. The opposition cries foul at everything, but takes all the privileges.
People with falsi� ed certi� cations of freedom � ghter status hold big government posts; the gold medals for the war have no value, while collaborators continue to become ministers and have the � ag, earned
from that bloodied war, � ap in the breeze as it hangs from their o� cial cars. People who practiced Marxism-Leninism or screamed for socialism have become the owners of “pri-vate property,” which used to be a poisonous phrase for them, once upon a time. They don skull caps and go for pilgrimages while redolent of holy ator. Government o� cials with meagre salaries are rich beyond any possible imagination. And we have learned to live with all of that.
The revenue people want millions in taxes from the students while hundreds of millions more pillaged from the banks seem chick-en-feed to the � nance minister. The stock market became a place to cut the pockets of the unsuspecting and the gullible, and the same � nance minister says that the cut purs-es are “too big” to bring to book.
People sweat sitting in tra� c jams as the “very important persons” break the rules and go through the wrong side. Only their time is precious. Education is in shambles with question papers becoming available at the vendors’ -- God save us from the doctors of the future! The Anti-Corruption Commission, a “toothless tiger,” sits comfortably in air-cooled rooms and gives clearance to red-hot thieves.
Politicians are divorced from the masses. It seems, like sperm, millions and millions of politicians are produced but only a few go on to become humans.
And the general masses? For them, democracy comes once every � ve years for a single day when they keep turning up in hordes to elect their “representative” in the big red-brick house. It will be a miracle if they see the elected person again for the next � ve years, but they sure do meet the political goons every day. Goons collect subscriptions, goons dictate terms, goons are the law until that day comes again, when the old goons are on the run -- nature does not allow vacuums, and new goons surface overnight.
People struggle on in spite, and till the land, grow crops to make the surplus food; workers work and increase exports; the entrepreneurs, forever enterprising, create new industries; the foreign currency reserve swells. Millions work overseas and remit money to the country, only for the country to give them a hard time at the airport when they come home for a visit.
It’s the people who are driving Bangladesh to become a middle-income country, but they are not getting the service they deserve from the nation, and what they get is mostly threadbare. The upper tier eats the cream and goes to Singapore for treatment after a few sneezes on a rainy morning; the general hospitals have cold dirty � oors for the poor. The rich also have second homes, and why not? Dhaka is a nasty place to call home.
Four decades after independence, we now have a few thousand ruling the country with a democracy that is more crony capitalism and oligarchy.
How have things changed then? It’s just old wine in a new bottle. l
SM Shahrukh is a freelance contributor.
Still seeking answersBangladesh today is old wine in a new bottle
It’s the people who are driving Bangladesh to become a middle-income country, but they are not getting the services they deserve from the nation. What they get is mostly threadbare. The upper tier eats the cream and goes to Singapore for treatment; the general hospitals have cold dirty � oors for the poor
How far have we really come from the warring and tyranny of 1971? NASHIRUL ISLAM
OPINION14DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
n Saleemul Huq
Having attended all 20 conferences of parties (COPs) of the UN’s climate body over the years, and now planning to be in Paris for the
21st in December, I am feeling ambivalent about the entire enterprise.
Everything I hear about it in the build-up seems to be a mixture of good news and bad news.
On the one hand, I hear talk about Paris not being an end but a new beginning, while we also hear talk about pledges from countries to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases over time.
But the pledges do not take us to even 2C, let alone the much safer 1.5C demanded by the most vulnerable countries.
Then we have the pledge of $100bn a year from 2020 onwards, but nothing much on how we get funding ramped up from now to that target in 2020.
Paris tracker: Who has pledged what for the UN climate pact?The bad news here is that pledges made to the poorest and most vulnerable countries way back in 2001 to � nance the most “urgent and immediate” adaptation actions are still not getting through.
The Least Developed Countries (LDC) fund lies empty while it has over 30 approved adaptation projects requiring $200m ready to be implemented the moment the countries get any funds.
Even the much vaunted Green Climate Fund (GCF) which was supposed to be the agreed vehicle to channel the $100bn has not been able to start funding actual activities to tackle climate change yet.
It has also not shown any real understanding of need to provide grants for adaptation in the most vulnerable countries, instead o� ering them loans.
Diplomatic stepsIt is true that the political momentum in preparation for Paris is signi� cant.
The current COP presidency Peru and the incoming French presidency are doing a commendable double act to reach out to countries and constituencies to drum up enthusiasm and commitments for actions to tackle climate change.
It is also heartening to see president Oba-ma and Secretary Kerry of the US committing the Federal government to actions, even if they cannot bring Congress along.
However, even in this good news, the decision to allow oil exploration in the Arctic diminishes Obama’s lofty words.
Another piece of good news is that we have text (albeit still very lengthy) as the basis for negotiating an agreement in Paris, with one more round to be done in Bonn in October, to whittle the text down to a reasonable length by the time the talks start in Paris so that they can be concluded in time in December.
However, even that text is still too long and getting it down to a manageable size by
the time the Paris talks start will take a Her-culean e� ort in Bonn next month.
The fact that the co-chairs have � nally been given the mandate to present negotiat-ing text in October, is another good sign.
Useful signalsFinally, the issue of the long-term goal of the UN climate body is still highly contentious,
with some people trying to change the goal posts by saying that even 2C is no longer achievable and should be abandoned, while the vulnerable developing countries continue to argue for a 1.5C goal, realising that it may be too ambitious, it is, morally, the right goal to have.
So, my dilemma going into the Paris talks consists of whether to accept some modest
progress and say that we have achieved something and keep the show on the road, as I have done so many times before.
Or should I call a spade a spade and say that Paris is not a beginning but the end of over two decades of inadequate actions to tackle the biggest existential threat that man-kind has ever had to face?
Here’s what I’ll be looking for in a success-ful outcome:
• A long-term goal specifying well below 2 degrees (if not 1.5 degrees)
• A loss and damage deal specifi ying that it is an issue beyond adaptation
• Commitment periods for countries every � ve years
• A fi nance package that details $50bn for adaptation in the most vulnerable countries through public money. l
Saleemul Huq is director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Independent University of Bangladesh. This article was previously published in www.rtcc.org.
The Paris dilemmaHow do we judge the success of the 2015 climate summit?
Should I call a spade a spade and say that Paris is not a beginning but the end of over two decades of inadequate actions to tackle the biggest existential threat that mankind has ever had to face?
Saving the world requires global e� ort BIGSTOCK
BSEC to tweak market maker normsn Tribune Report
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Com-mission (BSEC) will bring changes to market maker rules in a bid to make its functioning e� ective.
The securities regulator’s move came follow-ing the stakeholders’ non-re-sponse to the rules even after its formulation 14 years ago.
“The commission has decided to form a three-member panel to amend the market maker rules,” BSEC said in a statement yesterday.
The panel was asked to sub-mit its report to the commission within the next 30 working days.
A market maker is a compa-ny, or an individual, that quotes both a buy and a sell-o� price in a � nancial instrument or commod-ity held in an inventory, hoping to
make a pro� t on the bid-o� er spread, or turn.No stakeholders like banks, merchant
banks and stockbrokers showed interest to be a market maker since the rules were framed in 2,000 as they (stakeholders) found that they failed to make any pro� t because of tough rules, market experts said. l
15D
TBusiness WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
China rate cuts bypass business heart of economy
17Turnover tumbles as investors exit ahead of Eid vacation
19Global steel output slips for fourth consecutive month
16 Income tax fair marks record revenue
20
ADB: Domestic demand drives up growthn Tribune Report
Bangladesh economic growth is expected to grow slightly in the current � scal year due to strong domestic demand backed by better exports and remittances, Asian Development Bank (ADB) said yesterday.
The bank in its latest outlook for Asian countries, published yesterday, forecast that Bangladesh’s GDP growth is projected to fur-ther accelerate at 6.7% as both exports and remittances – the two main growth drivers – are expected to perform better in FY16 than in FY15.
The projection is lower than the govern-ment’s 7% forecast for FY16, made in its � scal policy. The ADB’s forecast is, however, higher than the World Bank’s pessimistic 6.3% for FY16.
“Strong domestic demand and exports have boosted our outlook for 2016 of Bang-ladesh economy,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Kazuhiko Higuchi while re-leasing the report.
Domestic demand will make a signi� cant contribution, driven mainly by strong expan-sion in remittances that will boost consump-tion demand and prospects of picking up in-vestment under the stable business climate, he said.
Bangladesh’s GDP growth in the last � scal year was 6.5%, beating ADP forecast of 6.1%.
The ADP report said export growth in FY16 is projected to improve to 6% as economic growth in the euro area and the US strengthens.
Imports are also projected to increase by
13%, mainly in capital goods, industrial raw materials, and food grains.
Remittance in� ows are likely to grow by 9% as the government steps up e� orts to place workers overseas.
Despite higher growth in remittances, a larger trade de� cit will likely mean a current account de� cit equal to 5% of GDP in FY16.
Higuchi said garments sector remains im-
portant for the Bangladeshi economy. “At the moment, the country is looking for new export markets and despite GSP suspension by the US, the RMG sector has further potential to grow.”
However, the ADB said several risks like infrastructure constraints and revenue de� cit could derail the projections.
Political stability is essential to gain the con� dence of investors and consumers like
maintaining macroeconomic stability, and achieve higher economic growth, it noted.
It said failure to attain the revenue target without matching expenditure adjustments would create in� ationary pressure as the gov-ernment borrowed from banks, and so under-mine macroeconomic stability.
Likewise, inadequate foreign investments would limit spending through the develop-ment plan on infrastructure, and thereby cur-tail growth.
ADB’s Principal Country Specialist Mo-hammed Parvez Imdad said in� ation is ex-pected to decline to 6.2% in FY16 from 6.4% in previous � scal with the expected cautious monetary policy stance taken by Bangladesh Bank and a better crop outlook.
About the GDP growth projection, he said: “Continued e� orts for resource mobilisation, structural reforms and infrastructure upgra-dation will support higher growth.”
He supported recent pay hike for public servants, saying in� ation was adjusted with national income. He said in� ation is needed to control for sustainable growth.
Growth in agriculture is forecast to accel-erate to 3.2% if normal weather prevails and prices remain favourable, according to the ADB report.
Industry growth is also expected to strengthen modestly to 9.8% with better per-formance in RMG, manufacturing for the do-mestic market and construction.
Growth in services is projected to edge up 6% as agriculture and industry expand. l
BGMEA gets new boss n Tribune Report
Siddiqur Rahman has been o� cial-ly declared as the president of Bang-ladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Associ-ation (BGMEA) for the next two years.
The chairman of Sterling Group, Siddiqur, also for-
mer vice-president of the organisation, was elected from Sammilito Parishad Panel.
“Bangladesh will stay well if our sector runs well,” he said.
“The garment industries of Bangladesh will do the best in next two years with the help of every body,” he hoped.
A total of 35 candidates were declared di-rectors by the BGMEA election Commissioner Jahangir Alam.
The BGMEA new boss said there are at
least 1 crore people involved directly in gar-ment industries.
“There have been many ups and downs, but we hope we will try to lift this sector from downturn to such a position that Bangladesh will turn around.”
In his address, outgoing president Atiqul Islam sought help from the government, the opposition and people as well.
“Everything is possible if we work together.”Besides, Moinuddin Ahmed of MN Knit-
wear was elected as the � rst vice-president while Faruque Hassan of Giant Apparels sen-ior vice-president and SM Mannan Kochi of Seha Designs Limited second vice-president.
Mohammad Nasir of Evergreen Sweater was elected as the vice-president (Finance) while Ferdous Parves Bivon, Bando Fashion Limited, Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu of Rising Apparels, Md Ferdous of Farmin Fashion De-signing Limited were elected vice-presidents.
The newly elected board took the re-sponsibility from the former board led by its ex-president Md Atiqul Islam yesterday in the afternoon. l
BUSINESS16DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
CORPORATE NEWS
ACI Limited and Unnayan Shahojogy Team (UST) recently signed an agreement on ensuring safe motherhood of underprivileged rural women through several awareness programmes. Syed Alamgir, executive director of ACI Consumer Brands, and Shah Md Anowar Kamal, executive director of UST, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides
Ranks Petroleum Ltd, distributor of motorbike engine oil Shell Advance, recently organised an event titled ‘Bike-er-Ostad: Ostadder Asor’ in Dhaka. The company’s vice chairperson, Rumee Akhtar Hossain was present at the event, among others
Jamuna Bank Limited recently launched an e-leave system under its green banking strategy. The bank’s MD and CEO, Shafuqul Alam inaugurated the system
Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited recently opened its 301st branch at Sonargaon Janapath Road, Uttata in Dhaka. Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, Annisul Huq inaugurated the branch as chief guest while the bank’s MD, Mohammad Abdul Mannan presided over the inaugural ceremony
Global steel output slips for fourth consecutive monthn Reuters, London
Global crude steel output fell for a fourth con-secutive month in August, mainly due to low-er production in China and Japan, the world’s biggest and second-biggest producers, indus-try data showed.
August output dropped 3% to 132 million tonnes from a year ago, with China output down 3.5% at 66.9 million tonnes, and Japan down 5.8% at 8.8 million tonnes, World Steel Association (Worldsteel) data showed.
China accounts for about half of global steel production. Its output has been falling as its once stellar pace of economic growth slows, leaving it with steel over-capacity esti-mated at around 300 million tonnes.
The country has been exporting steel at re-cord levels as a result, a factor that has helped pushed global steel prices to their lowest in more than 10 years, with little prospect of a near term recovery.
As a case in point, the data showed global capacity utilisation rates fell 3.6% to 68% in August - marking a decline in mills’ pricing power because of their collective ability to in-crease output if demand recovers.
Elsewhere, the data also showed output
in the United States, the world’s third-largest producer, fell 10% as mills there battle cheap imports and labour disputes, while output in India, the world’s fourth-largest producer,
rose 2.8%.India, home to about a billion people and
with a growing economy, is one of the few bright spots for world steel demand. l
Oil prices drop as low economic growth weighs on demand outlookn Reuters, Singapore
Crude oil prices fell yesterday as traders took pro� t following a 3-4% upward swing in the previous session, with weak econom-ic growth denting the demand outlook amid plentiful supplies.
Oil markets have seesawed since the be-ginning of the week, torn between data that points towards prices bottoming out after a more than 50% fall over the last year and a global glut that bearish analysts say will lead to further losses.
Traders also focused on the soon-to-ex-pire front-month contract in the West Texas Intermediate (WTI), which serves as the US benchmark. WTI’s October contract will go o� the NYMEX board after yesterday’s set-tlement, and November will move up as the front-month.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were trading at $46.04 per barrel at 0100 EDT, down 64 cents. Globally traded Brent futures were at $48.44 per barrel, down 48 cents.
Analysts said the drop in prices was a re-sult of both a weak economic outlook and a continuing surplus of oil supplies. l
A worker cuts a steel rod inside a steel factory on the outskirts of Jammu, India REUTERS
BUSINESS 17D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
China rate cuts bypass business heart of economyn Reuters, Hong Kong
For Wu Yinghua, an executive at a mid-sized optical disc company in China, business has never been so bad.
The problem is, conditions for Wu’s com-pany and others like it in the small and me-dium business sector are only getting worse – despite government e� orts to lift the econ-omy.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are already the heart of China’s economy, pro-viding 80% of urban employment and 60% of GDP. But the country’s � nancial infrastruc-ture is largely geared to state � rms.
So although China has announced a volley of rate cuts to stabilise its battered stock mar-ket and reverse a slowdown in growth, SMEs are experiencing little or no bene� t, underlin-ing concerns about the world’s second-big-gest economy.
“We have been in the optical disc business for more than 20 years and the recent depres-sion is the most serious challenge we have ever faced,” said Wu, an executive at Guang-dong Aolin Magnetic Electric Industrial in southern China.
The central bank has cut o� cial lending rates � ve times since November by a total of 1.4 percentage points to 4.6%. But instead of falling, lending rates to SMEs have risen by 2 percentage points as willing lenders become scarce.
The Wenzhou index, which tracks private lending, shows the rate for 1 year or more CNYWZPFIMT1Y=WZIO has risen to 18% from around 16% in November. In April, rates were
as high as 24%.The state-dominated banking sector has
become more selective in issuing loans in gen-eral, as non-performing loans increase in the economic slowdown. China’s big-four banks all reported a rise in non-performing loans in the latest quarter.
China’s economy is heading for its weakest growth in 25 years, and a recent run of poor data suggests it is struggling to meet its 7% target for 2015.
So only the brave are stepping in to lend to its most vulnerable � rms - small, medium and micro businesses. That is re� ected in cen-tral bank � gures showing that while overall lending in China has risen, new loans to small businesses fell in the � rst half of the calendar year compared with the same period in 2014.
“We have seen a surge in enquiries,” said Barry Lau, co-founder and managing partner of Adamas Asset Management in Hong Kong, which provides funding for growth enterpris-es in China and has $650 million of assets un-der management.
SMEs can turn to the non-bank-sector, the so-called shadow banking sector, but even there, lenders are becoming more prudent, said Wilson Pang, a partner at KPMG in Hong Kong.
“Those who were asking for interest rates of 12-15% are now asking for 20-22%, or even more, because of the slowdown,” Pang said.
Shut OutOliver Barron, policy research analyst at Chi-na-focused investment bank NSBO, said the main bene� ciaries of the monetary easing
were state-owned enterprises and local gov-ernment � nance vehicles.
“Weak bank lending and tightening of o� -balance sheet lending through acceptance bills etc are pointing to lesser access for the SME sector,” Barron said.
Another deterrent for small businesses is that applying for a loan has become more cumbersome.
“The covenants are tighter than before and the vetting process is getting tighter,” said Roy Wang, a restaurant owner in the southern city of Shenzhen.
“The banks need to check records which they did not check before, like history of the company, � nancial records of the company and the shareholders,” Wang said.
Underlining the strain on smaller compa-nies, Mizuho’s chief economist for Asia ex-Ja-pan, Kevin Lai, said China’s economy needs to grow at 8% a year just for large corporations to keep up with interest payments on the coun-try’s mountain of debt. And that’s based on a lending rate of 6.5 percent.
“SMEs are paying more than 16%. Which business gives that kind of return? Are they making that kind of money?” he said.
The economic slowdown is stoking calls for authorities to make funding conditions even easier, but that might not help many small � rms.
“This is really a tough period,” said Alex Gu, marketing manager at Suzhou Realpower Electric Appliance.
“For the big enterprises who own core technology, they may get over it. But for some SMEs, they may have to merge.” l
Asian currencies retreat as talk of Fed rate hike returnsn AFP, Singapore
The dollar was dominant in Asia yesterday as Fed o� cials talked up expectations for an increase in interest rates within the year after deciding against a raise last week.
Regional currencies were on the retreat amid concerns that an interest rate hike would spark an out� ow of capital from emerging markets to seek higher returns.
A decision last week by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the US central bank to hold o� a much anticipated rate increase this month was widely welcomed in the region and weakened the greenback.
But comments since the weekend by Fed o� cials that an increase is likely to push through within the last few months of the year injected fresh vigour into the dollar.
“Fed rate hike bets are creeping back after Atlanta Fed president (Dennis) Lockhart, a known hawk and FOMC voter, reiterated his views of a rate hike this year,” said Bernard Aw, market strategist at IG Markets in Singa-pore.
He told AFP this “reinforced” the remarks made at the weekend by his colleagues James Bullard and John Williams of a rate increase this year.
“The dollar gained against major currency pairs during the overnight session, moving back to pre-FOMC levels,” Aw said.
“Investors are cautiously taking on some risk, where we have seen US equities advanc-ing while US treasuries were sold.”
The Fed has two meetings left this year, one in October and the other in December. Markets are looking at either of those meet-ings for a decision on whether to lift rates for the � rst time in more than nine years.
Japanese � nancial markets are closed until Wednesday for public holidays.
Against key Asian currencies, the dollar rose 0.16% against the Singapore dollar, 0.29% against the Taiwan dollar, 0.13% against the South Korean won and 0.11% against the Philippine peso in late-morning trade.
The greenback was also stronger against the Indonesian rupiah, Indian rupee, Malay-sian ringgit and Thai baht.
It gained against the New Zealand dollar but was weaker when compared to the Australian dollar.
The yen was stronger against both the dollar and the euro as the Japanese currency is considered a safe haven amid uncertainty, while the euro gained against the dollar.
The dollar also rose against the Chinese yuan as President Xi Jinping kicks o� a visit to the United States yesterday.
“The Chinese yuan is expected to remain stable around 6.37 during President Xi Jinping’s visit to the US,” DBS Bank said in a market commentary.
“Last month’s stock market volatility have raised doubts over the health of the Chinese economy and whether China is returning to a weak exchange rate,” it said.
“These are the issues that President Xi will need to address during his visit to reassure the global � nancial markets.” l
A vendor sleeps at a shop in Beijing REUTERS
BUSINESS18DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY
Sector DSE CSE TotalMillion Taka % change Million Taka % change Million Taka % change
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 [email protected] or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net
News, analysis and recent disclosuresBEACHHATCH: The Board of Directors has recommended 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 08.12.2015, Time: 11:30 AM, Venue: Factory Premises at Moheshkhalia Para, Teknaf Sea Beach, Teknaf, Cox’s bazar. Record Date: 28.10.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 0.54, NAV per share of Tk. 12.38 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.25 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.BBS: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to invest in the shares of BBS Cables Ltd. for the amount of Tk. 20.00 crore for 2 crore shares at par subject to the approval of the Sharehold-ers in the AGM.NORTHERN: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has decided to pur-chase machineries for increasing the production capacity to 30 metric tons per day to meet the demand for jute yarn/twine in the international market. The approximate cost to complete the modernization scheme will be Tk. 10.00 Crore and the mod-ernization work is expected to be completed by March, 2016.ATCSLGF: The Company has informed that it has disbursed Cash Dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2015 to the respective unit holders’ Bank Ac-counts through BEFTN System. Accounts payee cheques will be issued to the unit holders’ mailing addresses whose Accounts could not be credited through BEFTN.BRACSCBOND: BRAC Bank Ltd. has informed that the record
date for Subordinated 25% Con-vertible Bonds of BRAC Bank Ltd. will be October 08, 2015 for payment of interest due on October 15, 2015. If the day is a holiday, the previous trading day will be set as Record Date.NBL: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has approved the purchase of � oor space measuring 8,000 sft. (approximately) at the 1st � oor and 4 car parking spaces of the under constraction building named Rahman AJ Trade Centre at Plot No. K 1/A, Jagannathpur, Basundhara, Dhaka at the rate of Tk. 40,000 per sft. totaling Tk. 32.40 crore (approximately) in the name of National Bank Limited subject to approval from Bangladesh Bank.PROVATIINS: ARGUS Credit Rating Services Limited (ACRSL) has announced the CPA (Claim Paying Ability) Rating of the Company as “A+” for long term and “ST-2” for short term in consideration of � nancials of the Company up to December 31, 2014 (audited), Q2FY15 (unaudited) and other relevant quantitative as well as qualita-tive information up to the date of rating declaration.QSMDRYCELL: As per Regu-lation 19(1) of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (Listing) Regula-tions, 2015, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on October 01, 2015 at 2:35 PM to consider, among others, audited � nancial statements of the Company for the year ended on June 30, 2015.
DSE key features September 22, 2015Turnover (Million Taka)
3,646.99
Turnover (Volume)
87,640,982
Number of Contract
89,020
Traded Issues 318
Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)
170
Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)
140
Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)
8
Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)
2,720.60
Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
32.98
CSE key features September 22, 2015Turnover (Million Taka)
300.50
Turnover (Volume)
8,437,774
Number of Contract
12,466
Traded Issues 247
Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)
142
Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)
96
Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)
9
Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)
2,613.04
Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
31.67
BUSINESS 19D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Turnover tumbles as investors exit ahead of Eid vacationn Tribune Report
Stocks continued to edge higher amid persistent volatility yesterday with turnover declining sharply, as most investors remained inactive ahead of a long weekend owing to Eid-ul-Azha.
The four consecutive days of modest move failed to woo investors who were interested more in playing safe on the � nal trading session ahead of the holidays.
The trading and o� cial activities of the stock exchanges will remain suspended from today, before resuming on Sep-tember 28.
The Dhaka Stock Exchange benchmark index DSEX rose over 11 points or 0.3% to 4,853.
The Shariah index DSES inched around 4 points up to 1,191. The blue chip comprising index DS30 gained margin-ally over 4 points or 0.3% to 1,860. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX was up over 29 points to 9,047.
Trading activities jolted as DSE turnover moved below Tk400 crore-mark and reached at Tk370 crore, which is al-most 30% lower over previous session’s value and lowest since September 2 last.
“Investors followed the general strategy to purchase eq-uities on the last trading session prior to the Eid holidays. By becoming aware of the market direction, investors remained on the sidelines which pushed down the day’s turnover val-ue to almost one month’s low,” said Lanak Bangla Securities.
All the large cap sectors closed marginally higher with non-banking � nancial institutions leading the way rising over 1%.
Most other sectors, including bank, cement, pharma-ceuticals, food and allied, telecommunication and textile gained marginally.
Engineering sector dominated the trading as top three companies in turnover came from the sector that accounted for more than 20% of total DSE turnover.
BSRM Steel was the most traded stocks with shares worth over Tk20 crore changing hands, followed by Khulna Power Company Limited (KPCL) and BSRM. l
Investors followed the general strategy to purchase equities on the last trading session prior to the Eid holidays. By becoming aware of the market direction, investors remained on the sidelines which pushed down the day’s turnover value to almost one month’s low
ANALYST
Daily capital market highlightsDSE Broad Index : 12905.62690 (+) 0.24% ▲
DSE - 30 Index : 1860.35663 (+) 0.24% ▲
CSE All Share Index: 14868.44340 (+) 0.33% ▲
CSE - 30 Index : 12905.62690 (+) 0.27% ▲
CSE Selected Index : 9047.70170 (+) 0.33% ▲
CSE TURNOVER LEADERS
Company Volume-Shares
Value in Million
% of Total-Turnover ClosingP Change % ClosingY DHIGH DLOW AvgPrice
Income tax fair marks record revenuen Tribune Report
The national income tax fair 2015 ended yes-terday after enjoying a huge response from taxpayers with a record revenue collection.
The seven-day fair managed to collect Tk2,035.32 crore as income tax, compared to Tk1,675.31 crore last year.
The National Board of Revenue organised the fair for the sixth consecutive year as an e� ort to expand tax net and increase revenue collection.
A record number of people received ser-vice and submitted income tax returns in the fair held across the country.
According to the NBR data, around 758,000 visitors received services compared to 649,000 last year and 161,000 submitted returns.
The last day’s collection only was Tk394.35 crore through income tax returns submitted by 38,205 taxpayers, while 107,185 people re-ceived services on the day.
In Chittagong, the fair collected Tk482.56 crore, increasing from Tk353 crore last year.
The � rst income tax fair held in 2010 was able to collect only Tk40 crore in the port city, our Chittagong correspondent reports.
The increase is more than 12 times in � ve years.
“Availability of easy service and awareness campaigns helped the fair get huge response,” said Kazi Emdadul Haque, Chittagong taxes zone (appeal) commissioner and convener of Chittagong Income Tax Fair 2015.
The special feature of the fair, which at-tracted the crowd to income tax fair, was its one-stop services including registration of electronic taxpayers identi� cation number (eTIN), submission of income tax returns and online payment facilities.
The fair was organised in divisional head-quarters for all seven days and in district headquarters for four days.
For the � rst time this year, the board or-ganised the fair in 86 upazilas of 49 districts.
This was to raise awareness among people about signi� cance and bene� ts of paying taxes.
Of the upzalias, 29 held it for two days and 57 for one day.
This year the NBR set up exclusive booths for value-added tax and customs.
The Department of National Savings also rendered services opening their own booths.
State-owned Sonali Bank and Janata Bank set up booths to help taxpayers make � nan-cial transactions at the fair.
Earlier, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said the tax fair had received huge supports and attention from taxpayers which was be-yond their expectation.
“We hope this will help us reach our reve-nue target [for the � scal]”, he said.
Since the fair was closing yesterday, there were much more people than any other day standing in the long queues at Dhaka’s Of-� cers Club venue. Many people were still seen waiting even after the regular closing time of 5:00 pm.
The NBR organised a closing ceremony at the O� cers Club venue, attended by Law Minister Anisul Haque.
He said the fear related to paying taxes among taxpayers would gradually disappear as income tax fairs were raising awareness.
He said the government was working to in-
troduce a new income tax law by next year, which would be an “easy and pro-people” law.
NBR chairman said the board was planning to organise another income tax fair at the be-ginning of winter.
“There is an instruction from � nance min-ister to organise a fair at the outset of winter, and we are planning accordingly,” he said.
He said: “It is important not to keep the service limited to a week [of fair] only, rather it should be throughout the year.”
State Minister for Finance MA Mannan also spoke at the function. l
Taxpayers � ll up return forms as the tax fair ends in the capital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE
ITC gets IPO nodn Tribune Report
Information Technology Consultants (ITC) yesterday got IPO approval from the secu-rities regulator to raise Tk12 crore from the stock market.
The commission has given consent to the company for issuing public o� er for business expansion, bank loan payment and meeting IPO expenses, according to a statement of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Com-mission (BSEC).
The company will � oat 1.2 crore ordinary shares valued Tk10 each. The IT company’s earnings per share is Tk1.04 and net asset value Tk18.28, according to its � nancial state-ment ended in June, 2014.
The BSEC also � ned Appollo Ispat manag-ing director and directors Tk1 lakh each and Dhaka Dyeing managing director Tk2 lakh due to violation of securities rules.
Appollo Ispat has spent additional Tk58 crore for bank loan payment, exceeding the amount mentioned in the company’s IPO pro-spectus, which is a clear violation of rules. l
SunEidson to build 200MWp solar park in Taknafn Asif Showkat Kallol
As part of the government’s mega plan to give a further boost to power generation, a 200 MWp solar power plant is likely to be in-stalled in Teknaf by the US-based solar power � rm SunEdison at a cost of over Tk8,595 crore from the government exchequer.
This will be the country’s largest grid-con-nected solar project to be implemented as an independent power producer (IPP) project.
The Power Division has already complet-ed negotiations with the US � rm’s Singa-pore-based subsidiary, allowing it to set up the plant on the build-own-operate basis.
Following the negotiations, the govern-ment is now set to allow SunEidson to build a 200MWp solar park at Teknaf Upazilla for the next 20 years in an attempt to ease acute power crisis in Chittagong district, o� cial sources said.
The state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) will purchase electricity from the project for 20 years on ‘No Electricity, No Pay-ment’ basis.
The Power Division’s proposal to build a solar park will be placed for approval before the next cabinet committee on purchase.
According to the proposal singed by the power division secretary Monowar Islam, the per-unit cost (each kilowatt hour) of electric-ity of the project will be $0.17 which is equiv-alent to Tk13.26.
The plant will be set up on about 1,000 acres of non-agricultural land in the tourist district of Cox’s Bazar.
The Power Division proposal reveals that the cost of per unit electricity of the proposed solar power plant is not high compared to the other two Sarishbabari 3MWp solar project and Dorla 30MWp Solar Park having per unit cost Tk14.80 Tk13.26.
Earlier, a committee was formed to � nd a suitable place for establishing a solar park and the committee later visited Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar district, Tetulia in Panchagarth district, Trishal in Mymensigh district and Ghatail in Tangali .
Though the committee initially selected
two area-Taknaf in Cox’s Bazar district and Tetulia in Panchagarth district, the sponsor-ing company has selected Taknaf in Cox’s Ba-zar for implementing the project, according to the proposal.
The Power division o� cials said two more solar parks would be set up in Iswardi and Sirajaganj with a total of 3 MWp solar panels with an investment of Tk46 crore.
After two ongoing solar-power pro-jects-Kaptai 5MWp and Hatia 1MWp, the Power Development Board has decided to build a 200 MWp solar power plant, said a senior o� cial.
As per the government master plan 2010, plants for generating 500 megawatts of solar power will be set for supplying to the con-sumers and the government has plan to gen-erate 24,000MW in 2021.
Of the total 2000MW will come from re-newable energy sources.
The PDB has already acquired 2.34 acres of land for Joynagar Grid Substation in Iswardi while 0.52 acres of land in Sirajganj, according to the Power Division. l
21D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPT 23, 2015T
-JUN
CT
ION
22PerspectiveShame On You
23EventBanglalink Music Fest
24Tucked InAerate your home with plants
INSIDE
Don’t let me set mePhoto: Bigstock
PerspectiveWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
T-JUNCTION22DT
Shame On Youn Zubaida Rana Rahman
Here we are, in 2015, on the edge of our lives still � ghting, still battling. Not once have we sat down and achieved harmony because that’s not how the world works. No, the world works in mysterious ways and here we are, in 2015, still shivering behind the echoes of body shaming. Shame on us.
Your body is not a construction site. No one should be able to claim it; no one should be able to demolish it. It is yours, and only yours.
So here we are, laughing and smiling while we utter the over-used phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Yet here we are, never practising what we preach. Having been conditioned to criticise at � rst sight, it doesn’t seem wrong to do so.
“Shame on you; you’re so fat. Shame on you for being ‘plus-sized.’ Stop eating. Go exercise. You’re so unattractive. You’re repugnant. Fix yourself; my eyes hurt by looking at you.”
So tell me now, does it seem right to say these things? Of course, you’re sitting here reading these few transient lines and probably feeling pretty sympathetic for those who have to go through this oppression. Sure, you’re feeling sympathetic but you’re also blithely unaware of how you condone this behavior in ways more than one.
Think about those who are overweight. Think about what they go through every moment of their lives. Can you please leave him alone so he can eat the rest of his lunch without feeling like there are weights on his shoulders or eyes peering at him? Can you please tell me how easy it is to be able to play God and declare who’s attractive and who’s not, based on their weight?
Please, enlighten us. Please, someone like Nicole Arbour who proudly spends six minutes on her YouTube channel telling the world how extremely horrendous it is to be fat, how fat-shaming is not real, how fat people should be given their own parking spaces (as if they’re disabled?) and how they are not valued as members of the society; please enlighten us as to how this makes anyone’s lives better.
She can’t go to the gym because people
will stare at her and make her the subject of their “fat person at the gym” Snapchats. She’s embarrassed to go shopping because nothing � ts. He can’t eat properly or even at all because society tells him not to. He can’t even look at himself in the mirror without cringing. Is that not sad?
Dear society, there are people who are overweight and their bodies also deserve to be loved. There are people who are underweight and their bodies too, deserves love.
Yes, of course, society’s ideal body is basically thin. The ideal body is also narrow waist, big bust, thigh gap, long legs, toned stomach, and the particulars go on. The ideal body is so many things it may as well be non-existent, because who are we to play “Barbie doll” with the world? We are no one’s dolls and we are not models. We are humans.
News� ash, thin girls are attacked too. Yes, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? We all think we’re so progressive when we sing along to songs that say “every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top”, but only apply it to those who have fat in the “right places.” Our math is dangerously wrong because no one needs to be made to feel less than what s/he deserves. Who are we to perpetuate this hate? Who are we to � re shots?
“Shame on you. Look at those arms, so limp. Your legs are so thin they’ll snap like twigs. Your hips are too narrow; you’ll never be able to give birth. You’re so skinny; you must be anorexic. You’re so unattractive. You eat, you say? Stop feeding everyone lies and start feeding yourself.”
Please, tell us how much it is the victim’s fault that his metabolism is fast. Tell us how it is so funny that she can’t � t into her clothes despite buying the XXS. How great do you feel about yourself when you know no one will want to hold her bag of bones at night. Please, convince us that this has nothing to do with your own insecurity. Let the world know about how much YOU love your body. Tell everyone how it’s all right to be over/under-weight if one has a medical condition. Declare, with all your might, that this is how the world works; this is the world we live in.
Think twice before shaming someone based on his or her body because � rstly, do you understand the consequences? Do you understand how many dark and twisted reactions come of this behavior? Do you understand that people starve themselves, self-harm and go into depression? Do you really know what’s going on behind the walls people put up?
Think twice, because why does it matter? He’s fat, she’s thin. What does it have to do with you? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. l
Photo: Bigstock
Event T-JUNCTION 23D
T
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Photos: Courtesy
Banglalink Music Fest
German and French foreign ministers’ visit to Bangladesh
This Eid-ul-Azha, Banglalink will be bringing to you a brand new musical programme named “Banglalink Music Fest,” which will be aired on Gazi TV from the third day of Eid till the seventh, at 11:30pm. This program will have no commercial breaks to ensure that the audiences can enjoy the program uninterruptedly.
The event will feature 100 songs with a diverse mix of music from alternative genres, and the segments are: English classical songs, tribute to the legend, Bangla band songs, Bangla folk songs and Bangla classical songs. Popular artists such as James, Bappa and Friend, Shunno, Arnob, Konal, Parthibo, Kornia, Nishita, Jafer, Elita, Nishita and many more will join the stage for the performances.
On the special occasion, Aman Ashraf Faiz, managing director of Gazi TV commented: “We always try to bring the very best to our audiences. We want to thank Banglalink for initiating such a musical fest with GTV’s break-free Eid programme.”
Sharfuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, head of public relations and communications of Banglalink, said: “We are very excited to provide this sort of musical entertainment to our viewers. Special thanks to GTV for their valuable partnership.” l
Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, and His Excellency Laurent Fabius, foreign minister of the French Republic, visited the country on September 21 to witness the e� ects of climate change on Bangladesh. During the run-up to the crucial climate conference COP21 in Paris, the two foreign ministers wanted to set a strong symbol by jointly visiting Bangladesh, a country that is heavily threatened by the adverse e� ects of climate change. Their trip gave them a � rst-hand impression of the impact of global warming and the possible adaptation to strategies in the areas of disaster risk reduction and long-term agricultural activity.
During their daylong visit to Bangladesh, ministers, Fabius and Steinmeier, were scheduled to inaugurate one of the anti-cyclone shelters, which was built with the support of German development cooperation, KfW, in Patuakhali district. They also wanted to meet with local people and farmers, who received training through BARI and the German implementation agency GIZ, regarding the consequences of climate change. However, the program had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions. Instead, they took a boat trip on the Bangshi River, which is north-west of Dhaka.
The trip was organised by the French-Bangladeshi NGO Friendship, that is working for 14 years to help address the needs of marginalised communities, su� ering from climate changes. Runa Khan, founder and executive director, gave an
overview of climate changes’ impact on Bangladesh while the delegation members witnessed the e� ects of the ups and downs of the river level on the environment. During their venture they also saw the vast inundated areas, where bricks are usually made. These areas are now � ooded where only the chimneys can be seen.
After this boat trip, Fabius and Steinmeier returned to Dhaka to meet with Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, minister of Foreign A� airs.
In the afternoon Fabius and Steinmeier visited the future Franco-German Embassy in Baridhara, Dhaka. It is the � rst embassy (a strong symbol of the friendship between the two countries) jointly built and operated by France and Germany.
From its opening in the summer of 2016, the Franco-German Embassy Dhaka will serve as a joint workplace of German and French diplomats and their locally employed Bangladeshi colleagues.
After their visit to Bangladesh, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Laurent Fabius were impressed by the already visible challenges that arise from global warming in this country. Their joint trip underlines the commitment of the two European nations to broker a pragmatic, yet comprehensive, legally-binding agreement in Paris.
Tackling climate change is a challenging task for the international community. And the burden to avoid further environmental hazards caused by climate change has to be shared. l
news
Tucked InT-JUNCTION24DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Aerate your home with plants Invite some nature into your home and watch the Zen of indoor plants work their magic into the structure of your household
n Pragya Rahman
In this hot and stu� y weather it is important to make sure your house gets a chance to breathe in oxygen and breathe out all the carbon dioxide and other noxious gasses along with it. It is also vital to keep your house cool, calm and relaxed so why not take up a new hobby of indoor gardening to spruce up your humble abode and let some healing, natural energies greet the world that is your oyster?
Below are some energising plants that inspire living:
Indoor bamboo plants These are known to bring good fortune in every way imaginable to the ones who are kind enough to accommodate some space for them in their homes. They’re also breathtakingly beautiful and are said to bring about the auras of peace and stability in your lives.
CactiAccording to Feng Shui, plants with sharp edges are known to protect your home from a destructive � ow of energy. Furthermore, keeping sharp plants like cacti in and around areas where you keep your valuables and money helps preserve them and promotes wise spending.
HerbsRosemary, thyme and mint are a great addition to your kitchen. They’re fresh, easy to grow and bring great � avour to your food. Always remember that the freshest handpicked herbs for your roast chicken or your salad will make them taste even more heavenly than they used to. That’s some tender loving care for yourself and the family that these plants will bring to your life.
OrchidsOrchids are the easiest plants to look after if you’re not that big of a fan of taking care of things. They will survive in just about any condition and, much like cacti, only need to be watered once or twice a week. They also look gorgeous, especially the while phalaenopsis orchids that bring about a sense of regal elegance into your home. l
25D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
SIR ALEX ASKED FOR PAY RISE TO MATCH ROONEY
SALMA AND CO SET FOR PAKISTAN TOUR
26 2927
ICC appointed former West Indies captain Richie Richardson to its
elite panel of match referees. ICC said the 53-year-old Richardson will
take over his new role in January
BACK BEING ELITE
SportRONALDO EYES HISTORY AS RIVALS FACE TOUGH TESTS
SCORECARD, DAY 1BANGLADESH A 1ST INNINGS R BAnamul Haque b Krishna 5 25Rony Talukdar c Bhavane b Krishna 0 1Liton Das c Gautam b Suchith 50 50Mominul Haque c Gopal b Sharath 1 8Soumya Sarkar c Bhavane b Krishna 0 3Nasir Hossain c Gautam b Krishna 8 6Shuvagata Hom lbw b Patel 55 65Kamrul Islam Rabbi lbw b Krishna 8 27Jubair Hossain c Reddy b Gopal 4 5Saqlain Sajib not out 15 30Al Amin Hossain c Agarwal b Patel 5 11Extras (b 6, lb 1) 7Total (all out; 38.4 overs) 158 FoW: 1-0 (Rony), 2-1 (Mominul), 3-27 (Anamul), 4-27 (Soumya), 5-41 (Nasir), 6-76 (Liton), 7-104 (Kamrul), 8-109 (Jubair), 9-148 (Shuvagata), 10-158 (Al Amin)BowlingSharath 7-2-28-1, Krishna 12-2-49-5, Agarwal 1-0-5-0, Gopal 9-1-36-1, Suchith 6-1-22-1, Patel 3.4-0-11-2KARNATAKA 1ST INNINGS R BSamarth lbw b Shuvagata 25 42Agarwal b Saqlain 16 26Reddy lbw b Shuvagata 28 38Uthappa c Nasir b Saqlain 1 15Gautam c Anamul b Saqlain 3 8Gopal c Jubair b Shuvagata 17 28Bhavane not out 55 88Suchith not out 14 50Extras (lb 3, nb 1) 4Total (6 wickets; 49 overs) 163 FoW: 1-28 (Agarwal), 2-52 (Samarth), 3-65 (Uthap-pa), 4-69 (Gautam), 5-75 (Reddy), 6-100 (Gopal)BowlingAl Amin 9-0-31-0, Kamrul 4-0-19-0, Saqlain 14-3-48-3, Shuvagata 16-4-29-3, Jubair 3-0-27-0, Nasir 3-2-6-0
Karnataka lead by 5 runsBangladesh A’s Nasir Hossain (backside) is about to take a brilliant diving catch to his right to dismiss Karnataka XI’s Robin Uthappa during the � rst day of their 3-day match in Mysore yesterday COURTESY
Bangladesh A bowlers save blushesn Mazhar Uddin
Bangladesh A team continued to struggle with the bat as they were skittled out for just 158 in their � rst innings during the opening day of their � rst three-dayer against Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka yesterday.
In reply, Karnataka managed a � ve-run � rst-innings lead when they concluded the day’s proceedings at 163/6.
Opting to take � rst strike in Mysore, the second-string Bangladesh side were totter-ing at 41/5 at one stage. The visitors’ top-or-der yet again failed to put up any sort of resistance as Anamul Haque (� ve), Rony Talukdar (nought), skipper Mominul Haque (one), Soumya Sarkar (nought) and in-form vice-captain Nasir Hossain (eight) all depart-ed cheaply.
Liton Kumar Das and Shuvagata Hom somewhat rescued their side from the early damage, scoring quick� re half-centuries.
Liton was dismissed after a well-made run-a-ball 50, featuring 11 fours, while Shuvagata departed after making 55 o� 65 balls, his knock studded with seven boundaries and a six.
Seamer Prasidh Krishna was the wrecker-in-chief for Karnataka, bagging 5/49, while o� -spinner Udit Patel picked up two wickets.
Bangladesh A spinners Shuvagata (3/29) and Saqlain Sajib (3/48) ensured Karnataka would not run away with the game as they scalped wickets at regular intervals.
Karnataka lost their � rst six wickets within 100 runs and were it not for Shishir Bhavane (55 not out), they would have been in sure trouble.l
‘The way we’re working is causing all the friction’n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Bangladesh Cricket Board’s cricket operations committee chairman Naimur Rahman yesterday informed the media that he was kept in the dark over the last-minute changes in the team man-agement of the A side currently touring India.
Tigers’ fast-bowling coach Heath Streak and national selection panel chief Faruk Ahmed were entrusted with the responsibility of guid-ing the Bangladesh A team during their ongoing tour of India.
Naimur however, stated that former Bangla-desh head coach Sarwar Imran and national se-lector Habibul Bashar were originally selected to accompany the second-string side.
The former Tigers captain added that BCB president Nazmul Hassan over-ruled his de-cision even though the selection of any team management falls under the jurisdiction of the
cricket operations committee.“All the suggestions with regards to the support
sta� and the cricketers are made by my depart-ment. For instance, we decided to send a member of the national selection panel as the manager of the A team for the India tour. I asked chief selector (Faruk) to suggest a name. He had put forward a name (Bashar),” said Naimur at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
“But later, we saw him (Faruk) take the place instead. I am unaware of such things,” he said.
When queried if his work is being under-mined, Naimur explained, “I am very much part of the board if you ask me. Now, it is totally the board’s decision if they want to utilise me or not. I will perform my duties if I am given a job to do. I cannot force anyone to give me responsibili-ties.
“He (Nazmul) is out of the country at the mo-ment. I will meet him once he returns. I do not
think there is any distance between us, but yes, there were some changes made without my con-sent.
“You see my job is to suggest only. The board president reserves every right to make changes if he deems it necessary. But I think such chang-es should be discussed with me. That way, it will give me some comfort while working.”
It is being widely suggested that Tigers’ head coach Chandika Hathurusingha rang the chang-es in the eleventh hour. Naimur does not share a jovial relationship with Hathurusingha so when the media inquired if the Sri Lankan is the man who is responsible for the changes, Naimur said, “At the moment I do not know anything. I � rst need to talk to the president. It will not be right to make a comment on this. I do not think the distance between us is causing the issues. May-be the way we are working at the moment is causing all the friction.” l
Naimur clears his
stance on last-minute
changes in the
Bangladesh A team
Sport26DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
‘THANK YOU CARLITOS, FOR VISITING’ Argentinos Junior mid� elder Ezequiel Ham has thanked Boca Juniors star Carlos Tevez after the former Manchester City striker visited him in hos-pital following his horror leg-breaking challenge.
Tevez left Ham in agony when he forceful-ly collided with the 21-year-old's shin during Saturday's 3-0 Primera Division victory for Boca with graphic images of the foul making headlines worldwide. But it seems there are no hard feelings from the Argentinos man, after he posed for a photo with the Argentine icon at his bedside on Monday night. The image was captioned: 'Thank you Carlitos, for visiting.'
Ham was removed from the � eld on a stretch-
er in some distress but Tevez was not punished despite the severity of the injury sustained in the 50-50 challenge. The 31-year-old was quick to apologise after realising the pain he had caused and instantly vowed to visit Ham in hospital, a promise he has now ful� lled.
'It makes me angry because I went for the ball, it was neither malicious nor my intention to hurt him. The touch told me I'd done something wrong,' Tevez said after the game. 'I'm sad be-cause I didn't want to do anything bad to him. I've never hurt anyone, this is my � rst time. Now I'm going to see him and apologise, as I should do.' –AGENCIES
Ronaldo eyes history as Real, Barca face tough testsn AFP, Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo has another chance to move ahead of Raul as Real Madrid’s top goalscorer of all time on enemy territory as Los Blancos make the daunting trip to take on Athletic Bilbao today.
Ronaldo is just two goals o� matching Raul’s record mark of 323, but was surprisingly unable to add to his tally as Madrid struggled past Granada 1-0 at the weekend.
Madrid escaped with all three points on Sat-urday thanks to a string of saves from Keylor Navas as he stretched his unbeaten streak to � ve games.
The Costa Rica international is now within 10 minutes of breaking Iker Casillas’s club re-cord for the longest start to a campaign with-out conceding a goal.
“Things are going well. I am happy that people value my work and it is an honour to be at this club,” he told the club’s website.
“As a kid I dreamed of being here and it � lls me with satisfaction to be part of Real Madrid’s history. The hard work has paid o� and this is the way that will take us towards winning big things.”
Madrid will again be without Gareth Bale,
James Rodriguez and Danilo through injury, whilst Sergio Ramos is a major doubt due to a dislocated shoulder.
Athletic have proven their ability to per-form on the big occasion as they beat Barcelo-na 5-1 on aggregate to win the Spanish Super Cup at the start of the campaign and also beat Madrid at home last season.
However, they have taken just three points from their opening four league games as a side shorn of the rested Raul Garcia and Aritz Adur-iz were beaten 3-1 by Villarreal on Sunday.
“We haven’t started well. Three points in the league isn’t enough and it is the league that tells you whether you are playing well or not,” said Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde.
“I know what is coming now, but we need to win.”
League leaders Barca also face a tough task to maintain their perfect start to the cam-paign when they travel to unbeaten Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Barca will be back close to full strength as Gerard Pique is available for the � rst time in La Liga this season after serving a four-game ban, whilst Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez will return after being rested for Sunday’s 4-1 win over Levante.
However, they will face a Celta side full of con� dence after a 2-1 win away at Sevilla moved them up to fourth.
“They are one of the most enjoyable teams to watch not just in Spain but in Europe,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique about his old side.
“If you like football, you should watch Celta. It doesn’t matter who they play against, they play their game with attacking players and an o� ensive mentality.” l
LA LIGA FIXTURES Celta Vigo v Barcelona Levante v Eibar Rayo Vallecano v Sporting Gijon Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid Las Palmas v Sevilla Malaga v Villarreal
Sport 27D
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Kayes in BCB XI against AustraliaBangladesh Cricket Board announced the 13-member BCB XI that will play the three-day tour game against Australia at the Fatullah stadium from October 3. BCB XI: Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan, Md Mithun, Soumya Sarker, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Saikat, Shuvagata Hom, Naeem Islam, Al Amin, Kamrul Islam, Abu Zayed, Sha� ul Islam.
–TRIBUNE DESK
8 picked for Asian TTBangladesh Table Tennis Federation has announced a 11-member delegation, containing eight players, for the forthcoming 22nd Asian Table Tennis Championship, scheduled to be held in Thailand from September 26-October 3. The team will leave here for Thailand this Friday. Led by BTTF president Mohammad Abdul Karim, the contingent comprises players Manash Chowd-hury, Masud Rana Porag, Syed Mahmuduzzaman, Javed Ahmed, Rahima Akter, Moumita Alam, Sharmin Akter Minara and Sadia Rahman Mou.
–TRIBUNE DESK
Catalan independence ‘would put Barca out’The head of the Spanish football league warned on Monday that champions Barcelona could not play in Spain’s La Liga if Catalan nationalists succeeded in making their region indepen-dent. “The law of sport is very clear: the only non-Spanish competitors are the Andorran clubs” from the small neighbouring principality, said Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish Professional Football League.
–AFP
Cantona promises to house, feed refugeesFormer Manchester United star Eric Cantona evoked the memory of his own grandparents � eeing war when promising on French radio Tuesday to house and feed refugees for a period of “at least” two years. “I’m organising that with authorities in Marseille,” Cantona told France Inter radio, explaining he intended to provide a small house, garden and food for a period of at least two years.
–AFP
Benteke to undergo scanLiverpool striker Christian Benteke is set to undergo scan after sustaining a hamstring injury during their 1-1 draw to Norwich City on Sunday, � rst team coach Gary McAllister has said. The Belgium international, who was withdrawn at half-time against the Canaries due to tightness in his hamstring, has scored two goals for the club.
–REUTERS
Murray likely to skip ATP � nals for Davis CupAndy Murray’s dedication to the Davis Cup has proved invaluable to the British team, but it may also rob the ATP Tour Finals of one of it’s biggest draws this year. Winning the ATP’s showpiece would normally be a priority for Murray, but his priorities will now be on helping Britain win the Davis Cup for the � rst time since 1936.
–REUTERS
QUICK BYTES
Fide Master Fahad draws third-roundn Tribune Desk
Young Fide Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman drew with Malaysian International Master Mas Ha� zulhelmi in the third round of the 12th IGV Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.
Fahad has 1.5 points following the end of the third round. The 12-year old earlier regis-tered two consecutive draws in the � rst two rounds of the tournament, which got under-way last Monday in the Malaysian capital.
Bangladesh Grandmaster Niaz Murshed fared comparatively better in the � rst two rounds, drawing one and winning one, but lost in the third round yesterday. Niaz drew with Fide Master Wong Yinn Long of Malaysia while Fahad drew with Le Tuan Ninh of Viet-nam in the opening round.
In the second round, Niaz beat Subramaniam Sumant of Malaysia while Fahad drew with International Master Eesha Karavade of India.
A total of 148 players from 18 countries, including nine Grandmasters and 27 Interna-tional Masters, are participating in the Malay-sian Open.
Meanwhile in the rated event of the Malay-sia Chess Challenge, Mohammad Monir Hos-sain was placed jointly at second place, along with 15 other players, with 2.5 points after the end of the third round. l
Walton to sponsor Bangladesh-Australia Testsn Minhaz Uddin Khan
Local conglomerate giant Walton has been named as the title sponsor of Bangladesh’s upcoming two-match home Test series against Australia next month.
On the other hand, Marcel, a concern of Walton, has been picked as the power spon-sor of the series.
The two sponsors were announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board in a press confer-ence at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Sta-dium yesterday.
Walton executive director of policy and HRM department, SM Zahid Hasan, and crea-tive and publication operative director, Uday Hakim, were present in the presser alongside other dignitaries.
BCB media manager Rabeed Imam repre-sented the board in the programme.
The Steve Smith-led Aussies are scheduled
to reach Dhaka this Monday. The visitors will take on BCB XI in a three-day warm-up match from October 3 before locking horns with the hosts in the � rst of two Test matches, slated
for Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium from October 9.
The second and � nal Test will begin at SBNS on October 17. l
Salma and Co set for Pakistan tourn Mazhar Uddin
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is all set to send the women’s national cricket team to Pakistan following the four-member security team’s recent visit to the terror-infested country.
Chief executive o� cer of the BCB Nizam-uddin Chowdhury con� rmed that all the logistical formalities for the tour have been completed and the board president Nazmul Hassan is likely to announce the team before the Eid festival.
“Logistically we are prepared for the women’s tour in Pakistan and we are waiting for the government’s permission. The cricketers have been uno� cially informed regarding the tour and have been told to be mentally prepared.
“Because of the Eid vacation we have very less time in hand so we want everything to be on place but then again we can only go ahead with the tour if the government permits. The BCB president is likely to declare the squad this week,” said Nizamuddin yesterday.
Although BCB media committee chairman Jalal Younus said they are yet to receive any con� rmation letter from the government,
Dhaka Tribune learned that the approval is in place.
“We are yet to receive the letter from the government but we are expecting to get that by today. The board president who is out of town is expected to return tomorrow and he will give the con� rmation regarding the tour very soon,” said Jalal.
He added that the Bangladesh women will travel to Pakistan by September 27 (if the tour gets the green signal). Salma Khatun and Co will play three one-day internationals and two international Twenty20s in Karachi and Lahore. l
BCB media manager Rabeed Imam (L) and Uday Hakim (R), creative and publication operative director of Walton, were present during a press conference yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK
Logistically we are prepared for the women’s tour in Pakistan and we are waiting for the government’s permission. The cricketers have been uno� cially informed regarding the tour and have been told to be mentally prepared
Navarro ends 8-match losing streakn AFP, Tokyo
Carla Suarez Navarro ended her eight-match dry spell with a hard-earned 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 vic-tory on Tuesday against Kateryna Bondaren-ko at the Pan Paci� c Open.
It was the � rst victory for the 10th-ranked Spaniard since June and she su� ered a � rst-round, straight-set defeat against the 83rd-ranked Bondarenko a week ago at the Japan Women’s Open Tennis.
Suarez Navarro said that defeat gave her the insights to gain victory Tuesday against the Ukrainian. l
28DT Sport
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
PETR CECHI went to see him in 2003 for Rennes.
We thought Petr was a bit young for the bruisers in the Premier League.
SERGIO AGUEROHis agent was demanding a price we were not
prepared to pay.
DIDIER DROGBAWe went to check him out [at Marseille] but the
club wanted £25million and Chelsea moved in for the kill before we had made up our minds.
LUCAS MOURAWe o� ered £35million but Paris Saint-Germain
signed him for £45million.
RONALDOWe wanted to sign the Brazilian striker from
Cruzeiro in 1994, but we could not get a work permit and he went to PSV Eindhoven.
RAPHAEL VARANEIn 2011 I hurtled down to Lille.
Zinedine Zidane got wind of this and somehow scooped him up for Real Madrid.
THOMAS MULLERHe was a ten-year-old when we heard about him.
We had him watched and the following day he committed himself to Bayern Munich.
MARIO BALOTELLIIn 2010 I brie� y � irted with the idea of signing Mario Balotelli, the talented but controversial
Italian striker.
DROGBA, MULLER, AGUERO AND OTHERS WHO GOT AWAY FROM FERGUSON Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the players that he considered signing for Manchester United. The Scot’s latest book, Leading, lifts the lid on his thoughts on a series of events during
his illustrious time at Old Tra� ord. Ferguson revealed Pep Guardiola was his No.1 choice to replace him as United boss and also stated the four world class players he worked with. But the ex-United boss also admitted he did not always get his way and for one reason or another, big names didn’t join the Old Tra� ord ranks. Here are the ones that got away.
AG
ENCI
ES
Sir Alex asked for pay rise to match Rooneyn BBC
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson demanded that his salary was dou-bled in the aftermath of Wayne Rooney’s big pay increase in 2010.
Rooney was set to leave United before signing a deal worth £250,000 a week.
“I told them I did not think it fair that Rooney should earn twice what I made,” Fer-guson says in a new book.
“Joel Glazer said: ‘I totally agree but what should we do?’ It was simple. We just agreed no player should be paid more than me.”
In his new book on the art of man-agement, Leading , Ferguson also de-scribes the transition following his 2013 departure from Man-
chester United after 26 years in charge.The Scot, who won two Champions
Leagues, 13 Premier League titles, � ve FA Cups and four League Cups at the club, was replaced by David Moyes, who was sacked af-ter 10 months and failed to lead the club into Europe’s premier club competition.
But the 73-year-old says he also wished to speak to former Barcelona and now Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola before he ap-pointed the former Everton manager.
“I admired [Pep] greatly,” Ferguson said af-
ter meeting him in New York in 2012. “I asked Pep to phone me before he accepted an o� er from another club but he didn’t and wound up joining Bayern Munich in July 2013.”
How he let Paul Pogba leave for Juventus “We had Paul under a three-year contract, and it had a one-year renewal option which we were eager to sign. His agent Mino Raiola suddenly appeared on the scene and our � rst meeting was a � asco. He and I were like oil and water.”
Ryan Giggs as a manager“Ryan is eventually going to be a great manag-er - he has intelligence, presence and knowl-edge. Had he retired in his mid-thirties, rather than when he was 40, there is every chance that he would have been my assistant in my � nal � ve years at Manchester United.”
I only had four world-class playersThe most successful Manchester United man-ager of all time says he only worked with four players he considered to be world class during his time at the club.
From those successful teams, he says mid-� elder Paul Scholes and attacking trio Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs were his best players.
“They made the di� erence and the evi-dence is there,” he told the BBC’s Dan Walker for Football Focus.
Ferguson described Cantona, who United signed from Leeds in November 1992, as “the cat-alyst”, for winning his � rst Premier League title.
He added: “The younger breed like Ryan
and Scholes were just fantastic players and the thing about those two was longevity. “Are there players who have played right through the whole of the Premier League and per-formed at the level they have? There are none, absolutely none.
“Of course Ronaldo was just a complete ge-nius of a player.”
England captains Wayne Rooney and Da-vid Beckham, Roy Keane, Carlos Tevez, Rio Ferdinand and Peter Schmeichel were all “great players” according to Ferguson.
“But these players elevated themselves above all that.”
Giggs appointment was a masterstrokeFerguson believes current United manager Van Gaal pulled o� a masterstroke by ap-pointing Giggs as his assistant at Manchester United.
Giggs, 41, won 34 trophies under Ferguson, making him the most decorated player in Eng-lish football history, before retiring in 2014.
Ferguson told BBC Sport: “Louis made a great choice because of Ryan’s knowledge, his time at the club and his ability.”
The England job holds too much expectationFerguson was twice approached about the England job but said he never considered it because he’s a Scot. “One it’s an impossible job. The pressure on the England manager is huge,” he said.
“Every competition, for some reason the press make them favourites, or one of the favourites, and to my mind they have never been favourites.” l
Sport 29D
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
Ten Action11:00PM French Ligue 1 Olympique Lyonnais v Bastiais 12:45AM Capital One Cup Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Ten Cricket12:45AM Capital One Cup Walsall v Chelsea Sony Kix6:45PM IRB Rugby World Cup 2Scotland v Japan Spanish La Liga12:00AM Celta Vigo v FC Barcelona 2:00AM Malaga v Villarreal Sony Six9:30PM IRB Rugby World Cup Australia v Fiji 1:00AM Spanish La LigaAthletic Bilbao v Real Madrid Star Sports 111:45PM German Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen v FSV Mainz 05 Star Sports 2German Bundesliga 12:00AM Borussia Monchengladbach v FC Augs-burg Star Sports 411:45PM TSG 1899 Ho� enheim v Dortmund
DAY’S WATCH
The England men’s and women’s cricket teams pose for photographers outside 10 Downing Street, ahead of a reception in London on Monday AFP
Dortmund out to extend record runn AFP, Berlin
Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund look to extend their record start to the season when they face Ho� enheim away on Wednes-day as their Bayern Munich showdown looms.
With � ve straight league wins, 18 goals scored and only three conceded, no other team has had such a good start to a Bundesli-ga season, yet Dortmund are top of the table ahead of Bayern only on goal di� erence. The two teams clash at Bayern’s Allianz Arena on October 4 in a mouth-watering showdown. l
Inter look to reinforce lead, Juve continue � ghtbackn AFP, Milan
Leaders Inter Milan host Verona on Wednes-day looking to build on their positive start in Serie A as champions Juventus aim to contin-ue their climb back up the table.
With four consecutive wins and only one
goal conceded, Roberto Mancini’s men are al-ready being talked of as scudetto challengers to four-time consecutive champions Juventus.
But Mancini - who won seven trophies in-cluding three consecutive league titles in his previous spell in charge (2004-2008) - was quick to dampen any premature enthusiasm.
With a two-point lead over Torino, Roma four o� the pace and Juventus eight points adrift in 13th, Mancini has some room to ma-noeuvre. But with Inter missing out on the Champions League for the past two seasons, the Italian is in no mood for complacency.
Inter should welcome Brazilian defender Joao Miranda, signed from Atletico Madrid, back for the visit of Verona after a recent in-jury, although fellow defenders Juan Jesus and Jeison Murillo are both expected to miss Wednesday’s San Siro outing.l
Spurs in high spirits for Arsenal’s cup visitn Reuters, London
Just over a week ago Arsenal’s season was gaining momentum while their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur were still looking for their � rst win but they meet in the League Cup on Wednesday with that scenario com-pletely turned on its head.
Tottenham will host the � rst north London derby of the campaign in high spirits after three wins in eight days while Arsenal make the short trip to White Hart Lane beaten in their last two games while having three play-ers sent o� .
Arsenal, who made a bright start to their campaign, lost at Dinamo Zagreb last week in the Champions League and were then beaten at Chelsea where they had two players sent o� .
While the League Cup, now called the Cap-
ital One Cup, is regarded as the season’s less-er prize, both Tottenham and Arsenal would � nd defeat an unpalatable prospect.
The third derby of the round will be at Sel-hurst Park where Crystal Palace play Charlton Athletic, who ground-shared with Palace for six years in the 1980s and early nineties while their
own ground, The Valley, was out of commission.Palace, despite losing their last two Pre-
mier League games to Manchester City and Tottenham, start as strong favourites to see o� their neighbours who are 15th in the Championship.
Holders Chelsea begin the defence of tro-phy at League One (third tier) Walsall.
The Saddlers, forever linked with one of English soccer’s greatest upsets after beat-ing Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal in the FA Cup in 1933, have made an excellent start to the season but a victory over Chelsea, no matter what team Jose Mourinho � elds, would sur-pass even their famous Thirties exploits.
Liverpoo will play Carlisle United from League Two at An� eld while Manchester United host Championship promotion con-tenders Ipswich Town. l
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES Schalke 04 v Frankfurt Bayer Leverkusen v Mainz Bor. M’gladbach v Augsburg Hanover 96 v VfB Stuttgart Ho� enheim v Dortmund
FIXTURES Crystal Palace v Charlton Liverpool v Carlisle Man Utd v Ipswich MK Dons v Southampton Newcastle v She� Wed Norwich v West Brom Tottenham v Arsenal Walsall v Chelsea
SEREI A FIXTURES Lazio v Genoa Palermo v Sassuolo Sampdoria v Roma Juventus v Frosinone Inter Milan v Verona Carpi v Napoli Chievo v Torino Fiorentina v Bologna
DOWNTIME30DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
CALVIN AND HOBBES
PEANUTS
DILBERT
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 number repeating.
CODE-CRACKER
CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS
CODE-CRACKER
How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a di� erent letter of the alphabet. For example, today 11 represents C so � ll C every time the � gure 11 appears.You have two letters in the control grid to start you o� . Enter 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, � ll in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check o� the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.
DOWN 1 Enraptured (4)2 Tool (6)3 Correct (5)4 Bait (4)5 Faucet (3)6 Everyone (3)9 Colour (4)11 Japanese monetary unit (3)14 Long detailed story (4)15 Believe (6)16 Droop (3)17 Falter (5)18 Cult (4)19 Probability (4)21 Monkey (3)22 Writing implement (3)
SUDOKU
LBFF to take Bengal to the world
n Syeda Samira Sadeque
In February 2016, the � rst-ever London Bengali Film Festival (LBFF) is expected to be held in the UK. This is the � rst time an international � lm festival will be focusing on Bengali � lms, and is currently accepting submissions from all over the world. LBFF will be accepting applications till December 15.
The three-day festival will be held in London with special guests and talks, followed by a red carpet awards ceremony on the fourth day.
Mansur Ali, founder and chief executive o� cer of LBFF, was in Dhaka recently, and we caught up with him.
Tell us a bit about yourself. How and why did you get into � lmmaking?I got into � lmmaking about 16 years ago. During my late teens, I was watching � lms from Hollywood, Bollywood and other � lm industries, and I found that a lot of the � lms that we see don’t really give us the correct perception of what may seem as the truth. That’s not a big issue on the surface, but if � lms become one of the most important sources of information, of sharing our idealogies and values, then it’s quite worrying that people
“If � lms become an important source of information, then it’s worrying that many � lms show only one point of view,” Mansur Ali, CEO of LBFF
n Showtime Desk
The Toronto International Film Festival ended its annual ten-day run with a star-studded awards brunch, and announced various awards and prizes at the festival: the People’s Choice Award, TIFF’s most prestigious award and one chosen by the audience members.
This year’s winner is Lenny Abrahamson’s Room, starring Brie Larson and young Jacob Tremblay, based on Emma
Donoghue’s best-selling book with the same name. It tells the story of a young woman and her � ve-year-old son and his struggle to adjust to the strange, terrifying and wondrous world outside their one-room prison after escaping from the captivity in which they have been held for half a decade.
Since 2008, almost all the People’s Choice Award winners have been nominated for Best Picture Award. Amongst them Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech and 12 Years
a Slave have won the Oscar Award for Best Picture. Since TIFF’s birth in 1978, � ve People’s Choice Award winners have won for the Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, directed by Evgeny A� neevsky won the People’s Choice Award for Documentary. It talks about the bloody Ukrainian uprising in Kiev’s Maidan Square in the winter of 2013-14, which resulted in the removal of Russian-backed president Viktor Yanukovych. l
The Matrix ReloadedMovies Now 6:50pm Neo and the rebel leaders estimate that they have 72 hours until 250,000 probes discover Zion and destroy it and its inhabitants. During this, Neo must decide how he can save Trinity from a dark fate in his dreams.Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Resident Evil: AfterLifeWB 9:31pm While still out to destroy the evil Umbrella Corporation, Alice joins a group of survivors living in a prison surrounded by the infected who also want to relocate to the mysterious but supposedly unharmed safe haven known only as Arcadia.Cast: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Boris Kodjoe
300: Rise of an EmpireHBO 9:30pm Greek general Themistokles leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.Cast: Eva Green, Hans Matheson, Lena Headey
WHAT TO WATCH
Room and a Ukrainian documentary win big at TIFF
SHOWTIME 31D
TWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
What are the criterion for application?The criterion is simple. The � lms should have at least one of the following:• A leading character has to be Bengali• The writer, director or producer
must be Bengali or has a Bengali heritage (any nationality)
• The story must be set or be about Bengal or an issue a� ecting the Bengali Diaspora
• The � lms need to be at least 50-minutes long, and can be of any genre.
What are your hopes from the festival? As it seems that there’s a lot of � lm talent here as well as in West Bengal. But now we’re seeing that there’s more in Australia and Europe – that’s really cool because it’s strengthening the network. And � lmmakers usually feel quite isolated. The usual struggle of a � lmmaker is that he thinks he is alone, and I believe something like this will bring them together. l
After a long gap and in view of persistent requests, Red Shift has decided to relaunch the movie season at Red Shift—but with a few changes this time. In the past they used to show mainly new movies. This was necessarily a bit of a hit and miss a� air. This time though they plan to show movies which may be considered sure shots, some that you may have already seen (but worth seeing again and again) and some that will be new to you, in di� erent genres, di� erent languages (with English subtitles), but all of them unmissable, quintessential.
The movies will generally be shown at Red Shift on Tuesdays at 7pm, unless otherwise advised. Tickets priced at Tk200 per head, with free popcorn included.
Pulp FictionDate: Tuesday September 29 2015 Time: 6.30pm
Upcoming screenings: Whiplash, Across the Universe, La Dolce Vita, The Big Lebowski, CasablancaEvents at Red Shift Co� ee Lounge. Location: Radius Centre, 5th Floor, Bay’s Galleria, 57 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan, Dhaka. Phone: 8833471-3 or 01730054403(Shiuly). Opening hours : Sat-Thurs 10am-11 pm. Fri : 3 pm-11pm Website:www.radiuscentre.com.bd Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Shift-Co� ee-Lounge/264098628025?ref=hl l
Movie season at Red Shift
who have access to � lmmaking are showing only one point of view.
So, it was quite simple. I thought, what do I do about it? Rather than sit and whine about it, I wanted to do something about this perception of history and the truth.
How and why did you get LBFF started?For the last eight years, I’ve been running the Limelight Film Awards, a successful programme attended by 500 � lmmakers, media personalities, celebrities, and Hollywood stars. It’s really grown so much that I now have a fantastic network of partners, sponsors, colleagues in di� erent media.
I started the LBFF to promote and export Bengali � lms from West Bengal and Bangladesh to the UK audience.
How has the response been so far?The response has been phenomenal. We opened up for submissions on September 6, and � lm interests from Bangladesh and West Bengal were numerous, and I’ve heard from an Australian � lmmaker as well as from someone in Berlin, Germany.
This shows that there’s a lot of Bengali-based � lm talent throughout the world.
BACK PAGE32DT
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
LBFF TO TAKE BENGAL TO THE WORLD PAGE 31
WHAT’S AHEAD OF GREECE? PAGE 10
BANGLADESH A BOWLERS SAVE BLUSHES PAGE 25
Welcome to the Hotel Cattlefornian Mohammad Afzal Hossain from Tangail
To a stranger, the people of Bhuapur upazila in Tangail might like to say proudly that they have the second biggest cattle market in the country.
What they would probably not tell him – because more than 200 families are involved with this and hence it is a common thing for them – that they also have hotels for cattle.
On the surface, one of these looks like a giant cowshed. People can be seen feeding grass or hay to scores of cows tied with ropes inside bamboo cubicles.
A cubicle to a cow is like a hotel room to a human. The place is called a hotel because it provides food and accommodation for cattle.
Say a trader brings 40 cows from another district to the Gobindashi market. At the end of a market day, say, the trader is left with 10 cows.
In comes the cattle hotels. A night stay for a cow costs Tk15. The wholesale rate – usually for a truck-full of cattle – is Tk400. The hotel
owners arrange food, water and care for the “boarders” in return.
“These hotels are like saviours,” said Zakir
Hossain, who came from Bogra district. “It is not always possible to sell all the cows on a single market day…So when I have unsold
cows, I take them to these hotels. If these were not here, I would have faced huge losses.”
For more than 200 families, whose home-steads are located in the surrounding villages of the Gobindashi market, running cattle ho-tels is a round-the-year full-time profession.
Just like the Gabtoli cattle market in Dha-ka, Gobindashi is also permanent. At other times of the year, the market usually sits on Sundays and Thursdays. So, the hotels pro-vide accommodation for the days in between.
Understandably, the business and busy-ness of these hotels increase manifold before the Eid-ul-Azha when the market runs for weeks at a stretch.
Iman Ali, owner of a cattle hotel, said he started small 25 years ago, but his business has now expanded.
Local cattle owner Dulal Sarker said it is a lucrative business, but if the expense of bring-ing cattle to Gobindashi could be reduced, more traders would have come here and the hotel business would have thrived further. l
This might look like a small Eid cattle market, but is actually a residential hotel for cattle in Bhuapur of Tangail that provides food and accommodation to its four-legged ‘boarders’ DHAKA TRIBUNE
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 O� ce: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected], Website: www.dhakatribune.com
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