Assault on Pakistan university kills 21n AFP, Charsadda

At least 21 people died when gunmen armed with grenades and Kalashnikovs attacked a university in Pakistan yesterday, as security forces moved in under thick fog to halt the bloodshed.

The assault was claimed by a Pakistani Taliban faction but branded “un-Islamic” by the umbrella group’s leadership, who vowed

to hunt down those responsible.The number of dead climbed rapidly after

armed men stormed the Bacha Khan Univer-sity, named after iconic Pashtun independ-ence activist Khan Abdul Ga� ar Khan during colonial ruling period, in the northwestern town of Charsadda in the latest outrage to hit the militant-infested region.

Police, soldiers and special forces swarmed the university from the ground and

the air to try to shut down the assault. Televi-sion images showed female students running for their lives and witnesses reported at least two explosions.

“The death toll in the terrorist attack has risen to 21,” regional police chief Saeed Wazir con� rmed, with most of the student victims shot dead at a hostel for male students.

A reporter saw pools of blood and over-turned furniture at the hostel, where security forces cornered the four gunmen.

“More than 30 others including students, sta� and security guards were wounded,” Wazir added.

He said the attackers had “taken advan-tage of the fog”, adding that visibility was less than 10 metres at the time.

A military spokesman said the four attack-ers had been killed, two by snipers, though it was not clear if they were included in the toll of 21 given by police. An emergency services spokesman suggested that other students and teachers had also � red at the gunmen, which is why the casuality number did not go up.

Umar Mansoor, a commander of the Hakimullah Mehsud faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Our four suicide attackers carried out the attack on Bacha Khan University today,” said Mansoor. Security forces believe he was the mastermind behind a similar attack on an

PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

SECOND EDITION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 | Magh 8, 1422, Rabius Sani 10, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 275 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

‘THEY DIDN’T GIVE US EVEN A LITTLE TIME’ PAGE 5

GETTING READY FOR THE INEVITABLE PAGE 32

TUG OF WAR IN JP: AN EXPLAINER PAGE 3

27 Ansarullah members heldin Singaporen Tribune Report

Singapore authorities arrested 27 Bangla-deshi construction workers allegedly for supporting jihadist groups including al-Qae-da and Dae’sh, and deported 26 of them, the Straits Times reported yesterday quoting the city state’s government sources.

The Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore identi� ed the detainees as mem-bers of the banned militant out� t Ansarullah Bangla Team.

They were detained between November 16 and December 1 last year, the country’s interior ministry said. Twenty-six were deported while the last one was jailed for attempting to leave Singapore illegally after hearing about the arrest of the others.

When contacted, Mahbub Uz Zaman, the Bangladesh high commissioner, con-� rmed that the detainees had plans to wage

PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Pakistani rescuers shift an injured man to a hospital following an attack by gunmen in the Bacha Khan university in Charsadda, about 50 kilometres from Peshawar, yesterday AFP

Bangladeshi asylum seekers to Europe on the risen Abid Azad

More and more Bangladeshis are seeking asy-lum in Europe, most of them � eeing war-torn countries in the Middle East, while many of the others are alleging political persecution in Bangladesh.

The country ranked 15th among 28 coun-tries in 2013 and 2014 for asylum seekers in Europe, and held eighth position among 30 countries last year, according to recent Eu-rostat data. The number of asylum seeking Bangladeshis was 9,140 in 2013. It rose to 11,680 in 2014 and 16,875 in 2015.

Migration experts say not all the asylum seekers have valid grounds but they are claiming persecution and using the asylum process to seek a better life in the developed world.

Many opposition activists also left the country in the last couple of years as hun-dreds of cases were � led for their alleged involvement in subversive activities in the name of anti-government movement.

The applicants also include some secu-larist writers and publishers, who left Bang-

ladesh fearing attacks following the recent series of killings by religious extremists and prosecution by the law enforcers for hurting religious sentiment of the Muslims.

“Irregular migrations and allegation of involvement with militant groups create an image crisis for the country. PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Other countries

2013 60,7252014 69,8202015 89,350

Bangladeshi

2013 9,1402014 11,6802015 16,875

ASYLUM SEEKERSIN EUROPE

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PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

The Pashtun � ghter who rallied for MujibA Pashtun freedom � ghter who prop-agated non-violent methods and col-laborated with Mahatma Gandhi, Khan Abdul Gha� ar Khan was better known as Bacha Khan (Bacha means king in Pashto) and died in 1988. He was born on February 6, 1890.

Khan was a disciple of Indian inde-pendence leader Mohandas Karamchand

PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Gha� ar Khan with Gandhi WIKIMEDIA

News2DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

27 Ansarullah members held in Singaporeanarchy in Bangladesh.

“As far as I know, the detainees are mem-bers of Ansarullah Bangla Team. However, the law enforcement agencies here [in Singa-pore] did not divulge any further information since the investigation is still going on. But my sources say they may have been involved in planning terror attacks in Bangladesh,” he told Bangla Tribune.

The announcement came a week after an attack by suicide bombers and gunmen in the heart of Jakarta, the capital of neighbouring Indonesia, highlighting the growing threat Southeast Asia faces from radicalised Mus-lims.

After they arrived in Bangladesh, police � led a case against them under the Anti-Ter-rorism Act. Fourteen of them have been shown arrested in the case � led by Uttara east police station. Others were released since the police had not found their involve-ment in militant activities.

All of them were interrogated in DB custo-dy for four days after the case had been � led, o� cials said.

The case says enraged at the government’s recent tough stance against religious extremism, the accused were planning to conduct subversive activities in Bangladesh. They used to hold meetings at mosques and

inspire other Bangladeshis to wage jihadi activities by showing them audiovisual materials.

DMP Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hos-sain Sarder said that Singapore police had deported the detainees in the � rst week of December. “Since then the Detective Branch o� cials are investigating the case,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“Members were encouraged to return to Bangladesh and wage armed jihad against the Bangladeshi government. They had also sent monetary donations to entities believed to be linked to extremist groups in Bangla-desh,” the o� cial said.

Mashruqure Rahman Khaled, deputy commissioner of DB police, said that the de-tainees were followers of Ansarullah Bangla Team but had no active involvement with the militant out� t. They used to read the books of Ansarullah leader Jasim Uddin Rahmani and listen to his sermons.

The Bangladesh government banned An-sarullah on May 25 last year, after the out� t claimed responsibilities for the murder of several secularists inspired by the sermons of Rahmani.

Quoting Singaporean authorities the Straits Times reported that of the detainees, 26 were members of a closed religious

study group that subscribed to extremist beliefs and teachings of radical � gures like Anwar al-Awlaki, an American and Yemeni Islamic ideologue alleged to have ties with militant group al-Qaeda. Awlaki was killed in a drone strike in Yemen in September 2011.

The remaining man was not a member of the study group, but was discovered to have been undergoing radicalisation. He support-ed extremist preachers and possessed jiha-di-related materials.

The investigation also revealed that several members of the group had considered carrying out armed violence overseas, but did not plan any attack in Singapore.

Some of them had contemplated taking part in armed jihad in the Middle East, the ministry said.

All the 27 have had their work permits cancelled. The Straits Times reported that the last person would also be repatriated once he completes his sentence.

In course of their arrests, the Singapore Internal Security Department recovered a signi� cant amount of radical and jihadi-related materials, such as books and videos containing footage of children undergoing training in what appeared to be terrorist militancy camps.

Several members also possessed a shared document with graphic images and instruction details on how to conduct silent killings using di� erent methods and weapons.

The group members took measures to avoid detection by the authorities, sharing ji-hadi-related materials discreetly and holding weekly gatherings to discuss armed con� icts, the ministry said.

“They also carefully targeted the recruit-ment of other Bangladeshi nationals, cur-rently living in Singapore,” an interior minis-try o� cial told the Straits Times.

According to the Singapore authorities, a number of members admitted that they believed they should participate in and wage armed jihad on behalf of their religion.

Several contemplated travelling to the Middle East to take part in the ongoing con� ict.

Some of them were in support of terrorist groups that killed Shias as they considered Shias to be deviant.

They also bore grievances against the in-cumbent Bangladeshi administration over its actions against some Islamic groups and leaders, the Singapore ministry sources told the Straits Times. l

Bangladeshi asylum seekers to Europe on the riseThe government should address this matter as soon as possible. Otherwise, we may lose our existing and potential labour markets,” said Dr Mohammad Jalal Uddin Sikder, senior research fellow at Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU).

“Most of the Bangladeshi asylum seekers go to Europe from war-a� ected Libya as they lost their jobs and have been facing security crisis. Many people returned to the country but some others are going to European coun-tries, mainly Italy, via two countries – Sudan and Iraq,” he said.

“We are just thinking about sending work-ers abroad and earning remittances. But do we care about them? The Bangladesh government should address this issue sincerely,” Jalal, who also teaches at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), told the Dhaka Tribune.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday released a report titled “The Refugee Surge in Europe: Economic Challenges” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

According to the report, through Novem-ber 2015, as many as 77,970 applications were placed before Italy by asylum seekers. Many of them are from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Paki-stan, Gambia and Senegal.

In 2015, about 995,000 � rst-time asylum applications were submitted in the European Union countries through October, more than twice the number over the same period in 2014.

The number rose high in the � rst 10 months of 2015, with the situation reaching crisis proportions during the summer.

The IMF says that the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached almost 60 million at the end of 2014, the highest number in the past 70 years. Among these, 14.4m were refugees, an increase of about

25% since the end of 2013.It estimates that on a GDP-weighted

basis, average budgetary expenses for asylum seekers in the EU countries could increase by 0.05-0.1% of GDP in 2015 and 2016, respectively, compared to 2014. These estimates are highly tentative, re� ecting, in particular, uncertainty over the number of asylum seekers.

Immigrants may a� ect the labour market outcomes of native workers through three main channels: labour supply e� ect, aggregate demand e� ect, and allocation of resources, product mix and technology e� ects, the report said. However, the in� ow of refugees would put pressure on the market for a� ordable housing while the housing policies will likely be particularly challenging in countries or regions where housing is already very expensive.

It also pointed out that children of immi-grants have, in general, lower education out-comes than their native peers and the size of the gap varies across educational systems.

It thus suggested that the � rst priority is to address the humanitarian emergency in con� icts countries, neighbouring countries, along the refugee routes, and in refugee des-tination countries. l

The Pashtun � ghterGandhi and collaborated with him as closely as leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Sard-ar Vallabhbhai Patel did.

Khan met Gandhi and entered politics in 1919 during agitation over the Rowlatt Acts, which allowed the internment of political dissidents without trial. In 1920, he joined the Khilafat movement, which sought to strengthen the spiritual ties of Indian Mus-lims to the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

As a part of movement against British colo-nial rule, Khan mobilised thousands of people in the north-west fringes of the Indian sub-con-tinent, then known as the North West Frontier Province, to � ght a nonviolent struggle, which earned him the title “Frontier Gandhi”.

His movement was known as “Khudai Kh-idmatgar,” which means “Servants of God” in Pashto.

Khan was against the idea of partition of Indian subcontinent into two nations along religious lines.

He lived in newly created Pakistan after par-tition following independence from the British but faced house arrest for many years and was even imprisoned by the Pakistani government.

He formed Pakistan’s � rst national oppo-sition party in 1948, the Pakistan Azad Party.

In 1969, Khan addressed a joint session of the Indian parliament, on the occasion of Ma-hatma Gandhi’s 100th birthday. Later in 1987, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest Indian honour given to civilians. He was the � rst non-Indian to receive this honour.

Along with his son Khan Abdul Wali Khan, co-founder of National Awami Party, Bacha Khan called on the military dictatorship to hand over power to Sheikh Mujibur Rah-man’s Awami League after its landslide vic-tory in 1969 general election. Later both con-demned the military occupation in the then East Pakistan.

Bangladesh government awarded the duo with Friends of Liberation War Honour in 2013. l

Assault on Pakistan university kills 21army-run school in nearby Peshawar in 2014 that left more than 150 people dead.

The TTP’s central leadership denied any involvement.

“TTP strongly condems today’s attack and disassociates itself completely from this un-Islamic attack,” spokesman Mu-hammad Khurasani said on Twitter, vowing that the group would bring those behind itto justice.

The denial appeared to indicate continued in� ghting in the Pakistani Taliban, as Dae’sh seeks to recruit its disa� ected � ghters.

A senior security o� cial said the faces of the attackers were recognisable and their � n-gerprints had been taken, adding: “We hope we will soon identify them.”

One had a mobile phone in his hand con-nected to Mansoor’s faction, he said.

He said two of the attackers were teenag-ers while the others were in their early 20s. They were armed with hand grenades and Kalashnikovs.

Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain con� rmed the lecturer had died.

Opposition leader Imran Khan told me-dia in Charsadda that ordinary citizens had rushed to the university with guns, prepared to � ght the attackers themselves.

Wednesday’s attack had chilling echoes of the Taliban assault on the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, Paki-stan’s deadliest-ever attack. Most of the vic-tims were children.

After a public outcry, the military inten-si� ed an o� ensive in the tribal areas where extremists had previously operated with impunity, and the government launched a crackdown.

Mansoor, the alleged mastermind behind the attack who also claimed Wednesday’s assault, vowed in 2014 to continue his “re-venge” for the military crackdown. l

The IMF says that the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached almost 60 million at the end of 2014, the highest number in the past 70 years

News 3D

TTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Tug of War in JP: An Explainern Abdul Malek

Internal strife in the Jatiya Party, which is o� cially the opposition in parliament, has burst out into the open amid a power strug-gle between founder and chairman Hussain Mohammad Ershad and his wife, Raushan Ershad, the head of JP’s parliamentary party.

The in� ghting began on Sunday when HM Ershad appointed his young brother GM Quader as co-chairman. The party’s MPs rejected the move and Secretary General Ziauddin Bablu announced Raushan Ershad would lead Jatiya Party as acting chairper-son. HM Ershad swiftly replaced Bablu with loyalist Ruhul Amin Hawlader, but the party remains deeply divided.

What is the significance of making GM Quader co-chair of JP?Former military dictator HM Ershad has been concerned about losing control of the party he founded as Raushan Ershad’s fac-tion, consisting of the majority of the par-ty’s MPs, becomes more and more powerful.

Raushan and Ziauddin Bablu are considered to be close to the ruling Awami League. The appointment of GM Quader is an attempt to take back control of the party. It also means that Ershad wants his brother, not his wife, to be his successor as head of JP.

Has Jatiya Party split and is Raushan now the head of her own party?Jatiya Party has not formally split and HM Er-shad insists he will not allow the party to be torn apart. But he is in a weak position since most MPs are in Raushan’s group which alleg-edly enjoys the backing of the government. The party was divided along the same lines before the parliamentary elections in January 2014. Ershad and his brother GM Quader decid-ed to boycott the elections while Raushan and Bablu’s faction announced they would join the polls. In the end, Ershad was forced to give in.

What is significance of Ershad saying he won’t act as PM special envoy?HM Ershad has said that Jatiya Party is losing its way since supporters are questioning how

the party can sit in the opposition benches but at the same time be represented in the cabinet. The JP chairman has not said that he will resign as special envoy to the Prime Minister. Instead, he says, he will ask the PM to release him.

Does JP retain any popularity?JP’s popularity has fallen sharply, even in its strongholds in the north of the country, some-thing HM Ershad commented on when he called on the party to change direction. In the recently held local government elections, JP won only one municipality out of 76 contested.

What is JP’s organizational strength?Jatiya Party has gradually lost its organiza-tional strength, even in Rangpur division where it has been traditionally strong. Al-though the party retains a presence in most districts, its weakness was clear in the mu-nicipality elections in December. Party insid-ers say Ershad has become deeply concerned that JP is being seen as nothing more than a B-Team of the ruling party. l

Survey: Health issues behind extreme poverty in coastal areasn Jebun Nesa Alo

Health related problems are the main obsta-cles to the income of coastal residents, even-tually causing them to lead their whole lives in extreme poverty, resulting in school drop-outs, and keeping 80% of the households completely excluded from education, a sur-vey has found.

Waterborne diseases are common as safe drinking water sources are scarce in coasta, while every month at least one member of a family falls ill in 35% households of three coastal villages of Khulna’s Dacope upazila, where the survey was conducted by Manage-ment and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI).

The survey – carried out to assess the im-pact of how banks use their CSR funds – found

that the income of the locals get reduced as they have no choice but to spend their work-ing hours collecting drinkable water from safe sources.

Another survey that covered Char Patila in Bhola found that 62.5% people of the locality were ultra-poor, 25% were poor, 7.5% in the low-income group, and 5% were middle-in-come category.

Such rates of extreme poverty were by no means acceptable, said the governor of Bang-ladesh Bank, Atiur Rahman, at the “Dissemi-nation and Report Handover Ceremony of CSR Findings” held at the central bank yesterday.

It was shameful that 62% people of a locali-ty were living in a state of extreme poverty at a time when the country was on its way to being upgraded to a middle-income country, he said.

The governor urged banks and corporate

houses to come forward with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to pull these peo-ple out from extreme poverty.

The MRDI survey also found almost 80% of the household heads were completely illiter-ate, 17% of them had attended primary school and only a few had studied up to higher sec-ondary levels.

According to the assessment of CSR fund usage, the overall expenditure of the fund in-creased to Tk510 crore in the year 2014 from Tk22 crore in 2007.

The study team found that 60% CSR inter-ventions resulted in more income, in 20% cas-es environment changed in positive direction, and in 10% cases more jobs were created.

Of the total expenditure 92% are being met by private banks and only 3% came from state-run banks in 2014. l

A section of students of Dhaka University form a human chain at the foot of Swaparjito Swadhinata yesterday demanding metro rail through the campus (L), Another section of students of the university observe a sit-in at TSC yesterday, protesting construction of metro rail through the campus MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Now Bank Asia peon falls prey to police assault n Tribune Report

A police constable has allegedly attacked a Bank Asia sta� member in the capital’s Paltan area on yesterday.

Surprisingly, the constable then quickly apologised to his victim, Aiyub Ali, 38, a peon of Bank Asia Meherba Plaza branch, following strong protests from passers-by.

Those present at the scene were visibly aggrieved by the assault which took place in front of Meherba Plaza on Topkhana Road around 1:30pm.

The act of police brutality was reportedly a case of mistaken identity.

Witnesses said a Shikar Paribahan bus hit a motorcycle from the behind on the busy road, causing the motorcyclist to engage in a brawl with the bus driver.

The angry motorcyclist then vandalised the bus.

When police constable Mahabub from Shahbagh police station appeared on the scene, onlookers told him the attacker was wearing a blue shirt.

Aiyub, who was also wearing a blue shirt, happened to be in the area.

Mistaking him for the motorcyclist, the constable started punching him repeatedly. At one point, pedestrians con� ned Mahabub.

Shahbagh police station SI Harun then rushed to the spot, but the situation went out of control in the meantime.

Finally, Shahbagh Operation O� cer Shahin settled the matter and apologised.

Shahbagh police station OC (Investigation) Jafarullah said: “It was a misunderstanding. The matter has been settled through discussion with the bank o� cials. We have made an apology to them for the incident.”

When asked, Md Serajul Islam, chief executive o� cer of Era Infotext ltd, a sister concern of Bank Asia, said: “The police mistakenly physically assaulted one of our sta� members. They [the police] have issued an apology after realising their mistake.” l

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016News4D

T

Jatrabari OC among other 5 cops suedn Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A case was � led yesterday against Jatrabari Police station O� cer-in-charge (OC) Aboni Shankar Kar and four other police men on charges of sexually assaulting a woman.

The 35-year-old woman � led the case with Dhaka Women and Children Repression Pre-vention Tribunal-2 on charges of assaulting the woman.

The four other accused are two sub inspec-tors – Jasim, and Jamal, constable Debashis of Jatrabari police station and sub-inspector Abdul Quader of Mugda police station.

The tribunal judge Sha� ul Azam recorded partly statement of the victim and � xed to-day for recording the rest of her statement.

According to the case statement, the younger brother of the plainti� Shirin, Imran Hossain, married the daughter of Abdul Kad-er, sub-inspector of Mugda police station, on October 4, 2015.

As Kader and his wife did not accept the marriage, they � led a case against Imran.

Then, Imran was sent to jail after his surrender before the court in connection with the case.

He was later granted bail.After that Jatrabari OC Abani Shankar

called Imran to meet him in police station over the matter. When Imran went to the po-lice station SI Jasim demanded Tk1,00000 to settle the matter. But he refused to pay and went back home.

Later, on December 3, SI Kader called Im-ran and the plainti� at his house where Kad-er, Jasim and Jamal tortured Imran and phys-ically assaulted the plainti� .

Then, the accused took them to the Jatra-bari police station where the Jatrabari OC too harassed the plainti� , the case statement said.

Victim’s lawyer Shahidul Haque said: “The judge will give an order on the issue todayafter taking complete statement of the complainant.”

When contacted, Jatrabari OC Aboni Shankar Kaur, told the Dhaka Tribune that he knew nothing about the matter. l

UK to work with Bangladesh to strengthen democracy n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

The United Kingdom wants to work with all the institutions with Bangladesh so that de-mocracy � ourishes in the country.

Newly appointed British High Commis-sioner Alison Blake at a press conference Wednesday said they are here to work with the government, parliament, all political par-ties for � ourishing democracy.

Blake came to Dhaka last week and sub-mitted her credential before President Abdul Hamid Tuesday.

She said both countries have parliamen-tary democracies and it is no secret that London had expressed concerns in the past about conduct of some elections.

She, however, said the recent local elec-tion passed more peacefully than some had in the past and the opposition parties were able to participate.

“We will continue to support Bangladesh

to carry participatory, free and fair elections at all level,” she added.

The high commissioner said her main priority was to work with everybody here to build a bright future for Bangladesh and for the UK.

About the security situation, she said: “Clearly, we like Bangladesh to take security and safety of our citizens very very strongly.”

About the enhancement of the airport security, she said they were engaged with Bangladesh and other countries after bomb explosion on a Russian airliner in Egypt in October.

“The UK contacted a number of nations to work with them around aviation securi-ty because the terrorist who brought down the airliner, the terrorist network that is be-hind that, they are global threat, it is not just Egypt,” she said adding: “We had a good dia-logue, we had o� cials coming here, and it is progressing.” l

‘No scope of amending pay scale’n Tribune Report

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said there was no scope of amending the eighth pay scale, even though certain adjustments can be made.

However, he did not elaborate on how those adjustments would be made.

Talking to reporters at the Finance Divi-sion auditorium yesterday, Muhith also said the public university teachers and o� cials belonging to 26 cadres were carrying out their movements based on ignorance.

“They did not go through the eighth pay scale report and their movement is going on without knowing the real facts and govern-ment orders that were issued,” the minister

said. “So over time, they have found their ground of movement to be useless and they just compromised the matters with the au-thority concerned.”

Public university teachers are in now ne-gotiation with the core secretary committee and the education minister after meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “Lets see what will happen and how to adjust those matters,” Muhith said.

Regarding a separate movement by Bang-ladesh Bank employees, the minister said there was a fault regarding the grade of cen-tral bank sta� s under the eighth pay scale, but the secretary committee has already solved the matter. l

GPH, Primetals Tech sign expansion deal n Tribune Report

GPH Ispat and Primetals Technologies Aus-tria GmbH signed a deal for a big expansion of GPH.

Managing Director of GPH Ispat Moham-med Jahangir Alam and Chief Executive of Primetals Technologies Heiner RÖHRL signed the agreement on behalf of their re-spective organisations a city hotel yesterday, said the GPH in a statement.

Under the agreement, Primetals Technol-ogies, a joint venture of Siemens, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Partners, will supply the ultra modern long steel technology for the new line of production of GPH.

After implementation of the project, the company’s annual MS Billet production will be increased to 1,00,8000 tonnes, and Rebars and Sections to 760,000 tonnes. The project will create employment opportunities for about 9,000. l

PRAYERTIMES

Cox’s Bazar 24 20Dhaka 25 15 Chittagong 24 16 Rajshahi 22 12 Rangpur 22 11 Khulna 24 13 Barisal 24 16 Sylhet 25 11T E M P E R AT U R E F O R E C A S T F O R TO DAY

Source: Accuweather/UNB

D H A K ATODAY TOMORROW

SUN SETS 5:37PM SUN RISES 6:43AM

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW29.9ºC 11.8ºCTeknaf Srimangal

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Fajr: 5:22am | Zohr: 12:10am Asr: 4:01pm | Magrib: 5:36pmEsha: 7:06pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016News 5

DT

CLOUDY

COCAINE HAUL CASE

Nur Mohammad’s remand cancellation plea rejectedn FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong

A Chittagong court yesterday rejected the bail plea of Nur Mohammed in the much-talked about cocaine haul case.

Chittagong Metropolitan Public Prosecu-tor Fakruddin told the Dhaka Tribune that Metropolitan Sessions’ Judge Md Shahenur rejected the remand cancellation prayer � led by Nur Mohammed after hearing.

On Sunday, Nur Mohammed, the chair-man of Khan Jahan Ali Group of Chittagong, was put on three-day remand in the cocaine seizure case after he was arrested by the Rap-id Action Battalion on Friday.

Later, the lawyer of Nur Mohammed � led a petition on Monday with another court seeking the cancellation of three-day re-mand. After � ling of the petition, the court � xed yesterday for its hearing.

“Now, there is no bar to put Nur Moham-med on the remand in the cocaine case”, added PP Fakruddin.

At presence, the much talked-about co-caine haul case being investigated by RAB 7’s Additional Superintendent of Police Mohiud-din Faruquee following a court direction.

On December 7, last year, a court in Chit-tagong ordered the RAB to lunch further investigation into the case rejecting charge sheet pressed by CMP’s Detective Branch.

Accusing eight persons, including two Bangladeshi-born UK expatriates, DB’s Assis-tant Commissioner (AC) Mohammed Kam-ruzzaman had submitted the charge sheet before the court on November 19, last. But the IO then dropped the name of Nur Mo-hammed from the charge sheet saying his involvement could not be found during the investigation.

Other accused of the case are COSCO Ship-ping Agency’s Manager AKM Azad, Mondol Group’s Commercial Executive Atikur Rah-man, Real Estate Company o� cial’s Mostafa Kamal, Prime Hatchery Limited’s Manager Go-lam Mostafa Sohel, Security Company O� cial Mehedi, C&F Company O� cial Saiful Islam, UK-expatriate Fazlur Rahman and Bokul Mia.

Of them, six accused of the case were ar-rested and two UK-expatriates were shown fugitive.

Mostafa Kamal, Golam Mostafa Sohel and his cousin Mehedi Alam gave their confes-sional statements before the court.

An accused of the case also admitted the involvement of Nur Mohammed in cocaine consignment during his confessional state-ment before the magistrate.

Acting on a tip-o� , Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIID) sealed a container carrying 2,140 kilograms of liquid cocaine in 107 drums in Chittagong Port on June 6, last year.

The Chittagong Port sources said the con-tainer was loaded from Uruguay on March, 30 and it arrived at Chittagong Port on May 13, via Singapore Port. l

New Colony eviction: ‘They didn’t give us even a little time’n Jakia Ahmed

More than 100 families residing at Moham-madpur’s New Colony for decades were evict-ed in broad daylight this week, allegedly by people under the protection of Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MP, and local Awami League leader Masud Bari, defying a court order, residents claimed.

They said the government had told them that the � ats would be handed over to them once they paid rents for 30 years. But later, the government said it was planning to construct high-rises there and that the lower and mid-dle-class people would have to buy the � ats.

They said MP Nanak and the commission-er were defying court’s order as they were from the ruling party. One Badshah, known as the local ward councillor’s henchman, was seen leading the eviction drive. He was heard shouting: “Why are the houses not being de-molished? Tear down everything, kick every-one out.”

Residents piled up their belongings at a playground in Lalmatia during eviction. Some said they were not given time to move out. Some were seen loading their belongings on trucks and peddled rickshaws. As soon as this correspondent approached them, they asked: “Where will we go now?”

One Mosharraf Hossain said: “We have been living her for 62 years and have the right to get � ats at cheap rate. But they have been allotted to local politicians and goons instead. They held secret meetings with ward Commis-sioner Mizan. They have been allotted the � ats but the 114 families were given nothing.”

Many said they thought the government would arrange places for them to stay. “But it will cost much and we are not � nancially solvent now.” Last week, the court asked the government to explain why it was going ahead with the eviction. Plainti� s said the state coun-sel could not submit necessary documents be-fore the court. The next hearing is scheduled for January 21. The court had ordered not to go ahead with the eviction until then.

“But they de� ed the order. They are not only razing the buildings but also defying the court,” the residents said.

A woman, whose family was evicted, could hardly control her tears. “They did not give us time and beat up the women in presence of police. We went to Mohammadpur police but our complaint was not registered. We bought the � at for Tk8 lakh. Locals goons and hench-men of Mr Nanak are evicting us,” she said.

Colony residents said police had arrested a number of men from there on Monday night saying they could interfere with government duties. Shirin Ahsan, a colony resident, said: “They were arrested to make sure hassle-free eviction drive by the local goons. Police did not register our case when we were beaten up in the past. Are we not citizens of this country?”

Another colony resident Zaria told the Bangla Tribune: “We are victims of a conspir-

acy by Masud Bari, Bodi, Sohag, Akbar, Ujjal, and Jamal. They settled here about a decade ago and formed an alliance. They roped in a real-estate developer in their conspiracy. They call themselves workers of the Awami League and the prime minister, and hold clandestine meetings with Mr Nanak. He supported us ini-tially but later turned against us.”

A woman vented her anger at the ruling party. “Do we not support the Awami League? Did we not vote for the party? Then why were we beaten today? Why were our houses ran-sacked and destroyed?”

She continued: “We went to Mohammapur police station the night before the eviction but police did not cooperate. We saw Ward No.

32 Awami League unit president Masud Bari there, sitting cosily and laughing, perhaps at our futile e� orts.”

When approached, Masud told the Bang-la Tribune: “Those making such claims are trying to create confusion. The old buildings need to be demolished before construction of high-rises here. As an Awami League ac-tivist, I cannot oppose the government’s de-velopment initiatives.”

Locals said 114 families – including those of freedom � ghters, journalists and doctors – had been living in the seven buildings for a long time. The ruling party MP did not re-spond to the Bangla Tribune’s requests for comments. l

Two of an evicted family pack their belongings after buildings were demolished in Mohammadpur New Colony in the capital. The photo was taken on Tuesday JAKIA AHMED

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016News6D

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Annisul wants control over city canalsn Abu Hayat Mahmud

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq has suggest-ed that Wasa and Rajuk hand over the charge of managing the city’s 26 canals to the two city corporations for better manage-ment and to reduce waterlogging.

“The canals in and around Dhaka carry the discharged drain and sewage water of the city. The city corporations cannot take any e� ective step to stop waterlogging since the canals are managed by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk),” he told a discussion yesterday.

The event organised by Urban Lab of Bangladesh University at Mohammadpur was also addressed by ruling party lawmak-er Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Urban Lab’s Convener Architect Iqbal Habib and BU’s Trusty Board Chairman Kazi Jamil Azhar. At the programme, Urban Lab published three study reports on the city’s roads and tra� c system.

Annisul said that the main reason behind waterlogging during heavy rains is illegal occupation of most of the canals. “Sometimes Wasa, Rajuk and the city corporations authorities blame each other for the waterlogging.”

The mayor also warned that the city roads and footpaths in Bashundhara Road, Mirpur Road, Airport Road areas would be freed from grabbers and hawkers. It will ease tra� c congestion while the city dwellers would be able to move without hassles. l

Mosharraf’s plea against his indictment rejectedn UNB

The High Court yesterday rejected the revision petition � led by BNP standing committee member Khandker Mos-harraf Hossain challenging his indict-ment in a money laundering case by a trial court.

The case � led last year by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

An HC bench comprising Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Mahmudul

Hoque passed the order.Nitai Roy Chowdhury stood for the

petitioner while Khurshid Alam repre-sented the ACC.

On October 28 last year, a special court framed charges against BNP standing committee member Khand-ker Mosharraf Hossain in the case.

On September 22, Senior Special Judge Court of Dhaka transferred the case to the Special Judge’s Court 1 after taking cognisance of charges

against the BNP leader.On February 6, ACC Director Nasim

Anwar � led a case against Moshar-raf under the Money Laundering Act 2012 with Ramna police station inthe capital.

According to the � rst information re-port (FIR), Mosharraf laundered nearly 804,000 British pounds (equivalent to Tk9.54 crore) to the United Kingdom when he was the Health and Family Welfare minister during 2001-2006. l

4 PWs give depositions in Bodi graft casen Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Four more prosecution witnesses gave depositions yesterday against ruling Awami League lawmaker Abdur Rahman Bodi in a graft case � led by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Judge Abu Ahmed Jamadar of Dhaka Special Judges Court 3 recorded the depositions and the court adjourned the trial pro-ceedings until February 3.

The four witnesses are Sub-Inspector Nazmul Ahsan, re-cording o� cer of the case, Yeasir Arafat, an employee of sub-tax o� ce at Teknaf, Teknaf Islami Bank Branch Manager Shaja-han Monir and Sonali Bank Branch Manager Osman Ghani.

Bodi, who is now on bail, was present before the court dur-ing the trial proceedings yesterday.

On August 21, 2014, the ACC � led the case with Ramna po-lice station in the capital after � nding evidence against Bodi of accumulating wealth illegally and concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC.

After completing probe, on May 13 last year, the ACC Deputy Director Manjur Morshad submitted a charge sheet against him in the case.

The same year on September 8, the court framed the charges against Bodi – the lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar 4 constituency. l

9th session of 10th parliament opensn Tribune Report

The 9th session of the 10th parliament began at Sangsad Bhaban yesterday. It will continue until February 29.

The session started around 4:32 pm with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury in the chair.

Before the session opened, the 10th parliament’s Business Advisory Committee decided to hold the winter session of par-liament until February 29 at a meeting presided over by Speak-er Shirin, the committee chairperson. Each working day, the house sessions will commence at 4:30 pm. l

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016News 7

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Patients su� er as doctors on strike n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong

Patients of private clinics in the port city are su� ering immensely as physicians went on a strike yesterday afternoon for inde� nite period.

Physicians of all private clinics and di-agnostic centres are observing the work ab-stention demanding withdrawal of two cas-es � led against two doctors for their alleged negligence in performing duties.

Khairul Bashar, father of a patient named Meherunnesa Rima who died recently at Sur-giscope Clinic, � led the case on Tuesday with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court against doctor couple – Dr Shameema Siddique and Dr Mahbubul Alam.

Rima, wife of Australia expatriate Abdullah Al Mamun, gave birth to a baby boy on Jan-uary 10. Later, she died due to alleged negli-gence of doctors in post-operative treatment.

Apart from the case, one Jebal Hossen lodged another case with the same court against Dr Rana Chowdhury, registrar of Chit-tagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)’s ward no 24, on charges of negligence in duty.

Con� rming the strike, Chittagong Chapter President of the Bangladesh Medical Associ-ation (BMA) Dr Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that they would continue the strike until the cases were withdrawn.

“If the demand is not met by next 24-hours we will go for tougher movement to realize our demand”, said BMA president Mujibul adding that he said the health care service will remain out of purview of the work abstention programme at the govern-ment hospitals”.

Anwarul Islam, an attendant of a patient who went to the GEC area from Hathazari, said: “I have managed appointment of a cardiologist. But we could not meet him due

to the strike.” Nazim Uddin Shameem whose relative

was admitted to a clinic in Mehedibag area, said: “We have shifted our relative to the private clinic from a state-owned hospital spending extra pennies, but now we are held hostage by the doctors”.

Sachetan Nagorik Committee Chittagong Chapter President Engineer Delwar Majum-dar said: “It is totally an unacceptable that a quarter is forcing someone to withdraw the case and the trend should be changed.”

The accused doctors should not be afraid of facing the legal battle if they are innocent, he added.

“Carrying out vandalism at clinic is also a criminal o� ence while no citizen including the doctors is not above the law”, said Engi-neer Delwar.

The also urged doctors to withdraw their strike for the sake of general people. l

Man held with drone, stun gun n Tribune Report

Customs o� cials yesterday arrested a man with a drone and a stun gun from Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong.

The arrestee was identi� ed as Mohamm-mad Solaiman, 32, a resident of Patiya upazi-la in Chittagong.

Mohammad Zakir Hossain, deputy direc-tor of Customs Intelligence Department, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had arrested a passenger with an aerial drone and a stun gun.

“We received information that a pas-senger was coming from Dubai with illegal goods, we searched the luggage and seized the goods from his possession. Later, the passenger was handed over to the police,” said the customs o� cial, adding that Jahir Ali, assistant revenue o� cer, had � led a case against the passenger. l

BCL man killed in factional con� ict at Sylhet varsity n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

An activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student front of the Bangladesh Awami League, was killed in an attack by ri-val group at Sylhet International University on Tuesday.

The deceased was Kazi Habib, 23, son of Kazi Siddiqur Rahman of Ranigaon village at Brahmanpara upazila of Comilla district. He was also the fourth year student of Business Administration department at the university.

Witnesses said some activists of his rival group led by Hossain Ahmed Sagor and Sho-hel stabbed Habib on the campus in city’s Shamimabad area in the afternoon, leaving him critically injured. Later, the students on the campus took him to Sylhet MAG Osmani

Medical College and Hospital. He was later shifted to Mount Adora Hospital where he died around 11pm.

On receiving information, police went to the spot and recovered the body.

The body was handed over to the family members after autopsy yesterday morning, said Shohel Ahmed, o� cer-in-charge of Kot-wali police station.

Kazi Zakir Hossain, brother of the victim, � led a case with the police station accusing 25 people in this connection.

Abdul Alim Tushar, secretary of the city unit BCL, said Habib had been killed over BCL factional con� ict. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also ruling Awami League President, is set to visit Sylhet today. The murder took place just two days before her visit. l

Two BNP-backed mayors arrested in Rajshahin Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Two newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed municipal mayors were arrest-ed yesterday in Rajshahi.

They are Mizanur Rahman Mizan, mayor of Tanor municipality and Asaul Haque Asad, mayor of Puthia municipality.

According to local sources, police arrest-ed Mizan around 2.30pm from Shaheb Bazar area while he was going to Rajshahi city to take oath.

Shahadat Hossain, o� cer-in-charge of Boalia Model police station, said Mizan had been arrested

as he was accused of several cases includ-ing vandalising the national properties.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Acting Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nation-alist Party, in a press release protested the arrest.

On the other hand, Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Asad around 3pm while he was heading home after taking oath at Shil-pakala Academy.

When contacted, Khairul Islam, o� cer-in-charge of Rajshahi DB police, said the in-formation related to the incident would be disclosed later.

Golam Mostofa Mamun, the district unit BNP o� ce secretary, said the DB police ar-rested Asad in the afternoon.

The police also freed him at night, said Mostofa. l

Re-rolling factories in Narayanganj emitting harmful fume. Defying the government law which stipulates that such factory chimneys should be at least 120 feet high. But these factory chimneys are barely 70 to 80 feet high and as a result poisonous smoke spreads easily to nearby residential areas posing serious health hazard to local people. The photo has recently been taken SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Advertisement8DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Biz Info 9D

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

With the theme “wish your beloved and bring a smile to their face,” Lipice has started o� their “Lipice smile on tour” tsince January 17, set to end with a gala dinner on February 14. During this tour, Lipice will be placing di� erent “wish” trees in di� erent shopping malls, supershops, universities and corporate houses along with also allowing users to share their love messages on Lipice’s Facebook page.

When it’s about expressing feelings, there is nothing more powerful than words, and no other occasion is more perfect than Valentine’s Day! Whether

they are your partner, mother, father, sibling, a friend or your signi� cant other, Lipice wants people to let their loved ones know how much they mean to them through the “Lipice smile on tour.”

Winners will get the chance to win a grand Valentine’s Day dinner where Maria Nur, a celebrity singer will also be present. At the end of the four week tour, eight winners will be chosen. Along with the gala night dinner, exciting gift hampers will be given to each winner as well.

For more information, log onto Lipice’s Facebook page. l

Philips Electronics Bangladesh and IPE Technologies, one of the local authorised companies of Philips Netherlands introduced new technologies for home appliances for South Asian customers, on Tuesday.

The Philips o� cials from Bangladesh and India discussed these technologies at the “Distributor’s Meet” organised by IPE Technologies at a city hotel.

The speakers from Philips Bangladesh

and India previewed the new technologies to be brought by Philips Home Appliance this year.

Philips India sub-continent chief Eexecutive Sanjay Bapna, IPE Technologies chairman Choudhury Fazle Imam spoke, among others, while IPE Technologies managing director and head of operations ABM Sajedul Hoque welcomed all to the programme. l

The Department of Media and Communication of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organised a Panel Discussion on ‘Film Education and the Future of Bangladesh Cinema’ on Monday, January 18, 2016 at IUB campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka.

Professor Giti Ara Nasreen, professor of Dhaka University, Dr Fahmidul Haque, Dhaka University, Professor Zunaid Halim, Jagannath University, Haider Rizvi, independent � lmmaker, Samia Jaman, CEO, Ekattor Television and � lmmaker and Tazeen Ahmed, senior lecturer, IUB, attended as the panel discussants.

Professor Zakir Hossain Raju, professor, Department of Media and Communication, IUB, moderated the programme.

Prof M Omar Rahman, vice vhancellor, IUB, Marco Orsini, president, International Emerging Film Talent Association, Dr Mahbub Alam, dean, School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, IUB and professor G M Shahidul Alam, head, Department of Media and Communication, IUB, also spoke on the occasion.

The discussants mainly focused on the � lm education in public and private universities in Bangladesh and emphasis on the need to develop a proper curriculum

for students. They feel that there should be a holistic approach to � lm education in Bangladesh and the prospect of Bangladesh cinema is enormous. l

“Lipice smile on tour”

Philips introduces new technologies for home appliances

Discussion on Film Education held at IUB

Computercity Technology Ltd has brought HAVIT brand’s AEV-H15 model’s four port prominent USB hub. This hub has plugend play and switch control. The data transfer rate for this hub is 480mbps, powered with USB and LED indicator light. Priced at Tk375, the USB is also very low in power consumption.

For more details contact: 02-8650179, 9670373, 9887673, 031-721733 l

Participants of the panel discussion on ‘Film Education and the Future of Bangladesh Cinema’ held on Monday, January 18, 2016 at IUB campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka.

HAVIT 4-Port prominent USB hubs

Science10DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

nFeatures Desk

We have just as much hair all over our bodies as chimpanzees or monkeys or any other furry primate. Most of it is just very short and light. It’s called “vellus hair” or “peach fuzz”. I think it’s bizarre that most of our thick hair is on the tops of our heads. Imagine if dogs looked like that! On second thought, maybe it’s better if you don’t imagine that.

nFeatures Desk

Anyone would normally guess that trees absorb raw materials from the ground through their roots, and use them to build new branches and roots as the tree grows. Or, perhaps trees are constructed by hardworking but underpaid gnomes and fairies during the night.

As it happens, that’s not the case. Although roots take up a small amount of important nutrients, the majority of the mass of a tree is created from carbon dioxide absorbed from the air by the tree’s leaves. It sounds crazy, but trees are mostly made out of air, and fairies aren’t even involved.

When you burn wood, you’re just dumping all that carbon dioxide back into the air where it originally came from. l

Source: www.coolsciencefacts.com

Research shows that we humans lost all our body hair through evolution about a million years before somebody � nally � gured out how to purchase clothes at one of the � rst primitive Walmarts.

One theory says that we lost our all body hair in an attempt to avoid parasites like ticks, � eas, and lice, and that we’ve only kept the hair on our heads because other people think it’s pretty. As proof, consider

that you haven’t seen many bald pregnant women.

There is a very special kind of louse that only lives in human clothing. DNA tests indicate that it evolved from a louse that only lives in human hair, and that this happened about 42,000 to 72,000 years ago. So, that’s probably roughly when clothes � rst went on sale. There are no special lice that live in any form of footwear, so DNA testing cannot solve the troubling mystery of exactly at what point in the past Hello Kitty themed socks were invented. l

A furry dilemma

What are trees made out of?

INSIDE

Around 3.2 million children are still believed to be engaged in full-time work and denied the opportunities a� orded by rising levels of school enrolment.

The National Child Labour Elimination Policy has been broadly successful in removing children from employment in RMG factored and formal sectors and reducing the numbers engaged in hazardous activities, but has so far failed to reduce the overall number of children engaged in child labour.

The government needs to improve co-ordination of social safety net schemes to direct more help and education services towards the large numbers of children still trapped in informal employment and domestic labour.

While programs which provide non-formal education and skills training have had some success, they do little to lift these children out of poverty and end the cycle of child labour.

As a society, we need to get better at helping the still large numbers of children who are being deprived of the education and opportunities which is their right.

High drop rates from schools are the biggest drag on e� orts to end child labour. Mass illiteracy contributes to and exacerbates poverty and unemployment. The government has to give more priority to tackling the factors which keep illiteracy levels so high in the nation.

Within primary schools, there is evidence that programs to distribute breakfasts and mid-day meals, or to pay stipends to poorer families, are proving very successful in keeping children within the education system.

Lessons from such successes should be rolled out nationally. At the secondary level, more emphasis should be given to keeping girl students in school, by boosting e� orts to curb child marriage and � ght social stigmas that cause dropouts.

Increasing incentives to plug dropout rates so all children can properly complete school and reforming social attitudes are the best way forward to end the scourge of child labour.

Pay stipends to poorer families to help plug dropout rates and reduce the numbers driven into underage employment

Climate change after Paris

Bureaucrats vs teachersGranted, there are neglectful, incompetent, and comparatively less meritorious people among us. But is there any profession in existence that doesn’t have incompetent practitioners? Does incompetence not exist within the government?

PAGE 13

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A letter to my sonSometimes it happens that a one-sided love story hurts less by letting go. Don’t think that you were a result of a mistake. However, your father and I were not strong enough to hold on. We just never wanted to give you a scattered life

At the heart of the climate change battle is the � ght to ensure human rights, justice, and fundamental freedoms, particularly for people at the bottom

Increase incentives to end child labour

11D

TEditorialTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Be heardWrite to Dhaka Tribune

FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207

Send us your Op-Ed articles:opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com

www.dhakatribune.comJoin our Facebook community:

https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune.

The views expressed in Opinion articles are those of the authors

alone. They do not purport to be the o� cial view of Dhaka

Tribune or its publisher.

Opinion12DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

n Sheikh Hasina

The South Asian country of Bangladesh sits on a low-lying delta plain, where most elevations are less than 30 feet. The alluvial

soil is rich but vulnerable to � ooding and drought brought on by extreme weather. In 2009 alone, more than 15,000 people were permanently displaced after Cyclone Aila.

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Bangladesh as one of the 10 nations most vulnerable to climate change. Each year, the impact of the global shift wipes out 2% to

3% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, and some 900,000 Bangladeshis have died over the past 35 years because of severe storms and natural disasters attributable to global warming.

By 2050, a predicted one-to-three-foot rise in sea levels caused by global warming will submerge 17% of the entire country’s landmass and a� ect 35 million people. This is a huge threat and as a result, Bangladesh has made the � ght against climate change and the protection of its citizens a national priority on the same level as defense, security, and economic growth.

That’s why Bangladesh is encouraged by -- though not entirely satis� ed with -- the progress made at the United Nations climate summit in Paris last month. It is vital that nations agreed to work together to rein in man-made emissions that contribute to global warming.

In particular, the world’s richest nations must help the poorest ones pay for new technology that will enable them to generate more energy from renewable sources and also save energy by using energy-e� cient appliances.

Another area of support from wealthier nations should come from the � eld of scienti� c research aimed at smarter and cheaper means of mitigation and adaptation. All nations, big or small, need to put their heads together to combat this global threat.

Paris created positive momentum -- the newly concluded agreement features commitments to balanced � nancing, with rich countries contributing to the cost of battling climate change that a� ects developing countries. In addition, the world’s leaders agreed to share and develop

technology that will allow developing nations to move more quickly to sustainable energy sources such as solar and wind.

Many developing nations, including Bangladesh, have actually been leading the battle against climate change in recent years. We are showing what can be done by embracing scienti� c facts, crafting smart policies, and demonstrating political will.

In 2012, Bangladesh pledged to keep its per capita emissions below the average of the developing world. We have installed more than four million solar home systems, generating 150 megawatts of electricity. About 15 million people in Bangladesh now get their electricity entirely from renewable sources. Bangladeshi scientists have also developed � ood, drought, and saline-resistant varieties of rice to withstand radical climate change and increased freshwater salinity, an inevitable consequence of the ocean encroaching on land.

Each year, Bangladesh spends $1bn -- or more than 1% of its GDP -- � ghting climate change. In 2009, we used our own money to create a $400m Climate Change Trust Fund.

At the same time, in all fairness, low-income, developing nations such as ours must depend on fossil fuel to increase our standard of living and sustain our peoples’ livelihood.

Wealthier countries should assume a greater responsibility to reduce carbon output and help developing nations do the same by helping them build technological capacity to expand clean energy.

Draconian carbon-reduction goals imposed on poorer countries by richer ones without adequate economic and technological support will hurt the poorer nations, putting excessive strain on the world’s overall e� orts to � ght global warming.

At the heart of the climate change battle is the � ght to ensure human rights, justice, and fundamental freedoms, particularly for people at the bottom. Climate change must be seen in the wider narrative as a global threat to peace, stability, and prosperity.

The world admires Bangladesh for its remarkable social and economic transformation and resilience since its independence in 1971.

All these accomplishments will be at risk unless the world seriously tackles climate change. Bangladeshis have fought for freedom, for democracy, for women’s rights, and against terror and extremism, on our own. But climate change is not a � ght we can win alone.

The Paris climate change summit is now behind us. We have some -- but not all -- of the tools needed to escalate the battle against global warming. Bangladesh will do its part. We hope the world’s richest countries will do their part too. l

Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She is a 2015 recipient of the United Nations’ Champions of the Earth award for her leadership in climate change policy. This opinion piece was previously published in usnews.com.

Climate change after Paris

At the heart of the climate change battle is the � ght to ensure human rights, justice, and fundamental freedoms, particularly for people at the bottom

Developed nations must do their part in the � ght

Floodings in Bangladesh routinely displace thousands of people REUTERS

Opinion 13D

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

n Asif Nazrul

My father was a radio engineer and a � rst-class gazetted o� cer. He took much pride in it. If there was any sort of

disagreement between us, he used to say: “Be a � rst-class gazetted o� cer � rst, and only then I will listen to you.”

I secured my place on the top-20 merit list in my SSCs, secured a talent pool scholarship, and later went on to write many cover stories for Bichitra, but nothing would impress him.

“What kind of an o� cer?” I asked him. He said the best way was to become a BCS (administration) cadre. “Can I become a magistrate?” I asked myself.

I was rather irritated, but I sat for the BCS examination with no preparation at all. I just entered the exam hall and began to write. I stood second in the BCS (administration) exam and told my father that I had become a � rst-class gazetted o� cer. He smiled and told me that I would have to actually start working the job.

Eventually, I started working as a � rst-class government o� cer (magistrate) in Sirajganj in 1991, and soon realised that this was not the job for me. I joined the Bichitra again without my father’s knowledge, holing up in a house in Dhaka.

After a few months, I joined the Law Department of Dhaka University as a lecturer. I wondered if my father would agree to it -- to my utter surprise, becoming a university teacher apparently meant more to him!

That sense of overwhelming joy has remained etched in my mind throughout my life. My friends became High Court judges, major generals, and one or two full-� edged secretaries. Some of my adored ones became

law-makers and ministers, and one of them even became a speaker for parliament! Many people close to me have risen from rags to riches.

I have no regrets. In fact, it really does mean a lot more to become a university teacher than any of these, I believe.

The greater insultMy � rm belief is now shaken. The government has announced the new

pay scale, according to which, university teachers will be the highest paid third-grade employees.

My friends who have joined the administration or the army are going to be the highest-paid � rst-grade employees. I have always had better results than most of my friends.

After my studentship at Dhaka University, I did my PhD abroad and obtained a post-doctoral fellowship, and 90% of the teachers of my department did the same while many of my friends in the administration did not go beyond their Master’s degree. Yet, we are third-grade and they are � rst-grade employees.

In the new pay scale, teachers have had a big increment. The increment is more for those who are in the administration. Even before the new pay scale was announced, they had enjoyed some other perks and facilities.

In any civilised country, teachers are paid much more than bureaucrats. It’s not really the salary that matters, it is a matter of honour and dignity. Why are we third-grade?

What makes them better?There is propaganda out there right now which seeks to justify the new pay scale -- the major complaint being that we do not impart classes in public universities.

This might be true for some, but de� nitely not true for most. The key objective of teachers is to broaden the horizon of knowledge, and it is a round the clock job. Granted, there are neglectful, incompetent, and comparatively less meritorious people among us. But is there any profession in existence that doesn’t have incompetent practitioners? Does incompetence not exist within the government?

We engage in politics, we are partisan, yes, it’s all true. But don’t bureaucrats do the same? If they don’t, then why are hundreds of in� uential bureaucrats of one regime made OSDs (o� cer on special duty) with every changeover in power?

We have tarnished the image and glory of the university during both AL and BNP rules, for which we are considered to be a pro-establishment force in many instances, apparently.

What needs to be donePublic universities are autonomous institutions, but steps can be taken to standardise public universities.

My personal suggestions would be that we have to curb the power of the vice-chancellor to defy the decisions of academic committee, bring an end to partisan elections to di� erent posts, including that of dean, put a ban on the questionable powerful deans committee, be more accountable and tough on the restructuring system that makes automatic promotions, introduce compulsory teacher assessment by the students, and impose a ban on the partisan politics of teachers and students on campus.

The government can make these happen quite easily. It is pointless to blame teachers and universities as an excuse for lowering their pay and belittling their place in society.

Demeaning university teachers is tantamount to insulting their students and the university itself. Humiliating university teachers is equal to humiliating the dignity of higher education. It is our earnest request to the government to understand the agony we teachers are going through. l

Asif Nazrul is a professor of law. This article has been translated from Bengali.

Bureaucrats vs teachers

Granted, there are neglectful, incompetent, and comparatively less meritorious people among us. But is there any profession in existence that doesn’t have incompetent practitioners? Does incompetence not exist within the government?

Why aren’t teachers in our country getting their due?

The future is made inside classrooms BIGSTOCK

Long Form14DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

n Zoynab Ria

I will cry for you in every life given,I will cry for you in eternity livenDespite you never bear no maliceI will ask for amnesty again

I will ask for your name,I will look for your � ameI will come back to cope a pleaDespite you never bear no maliceI will ask for amnesty again

May be in this or another life,May be in a sphere awayI will � nd you againI will meet you againDespite you never bear no maliceI will ask for amnesty again

(Translated from the Nazrul song Jonom Jonom Tobo Tore Kadibo)

But the symptoms of poisonous Misoprostol (RU486) didn’t abate quickly. I was clotting and cramping. The doctor suggested

it was wiser to let you go, as Misoprostol does increase the rate of birth defects like shortened limbs, missing � ngers or toes, or facial paralysis. It may cause your life to be not worth living.

In Bangladesh, this whole idea of taking abortion pills is not very common, thus doctors couldn’t give me much hope. I wanted to hold on to you, but you were slowly going silent. Just like your father, all at once you stopped communicating with me. I was getting the signs that you were nonchalantly asking me: “Why did you kill me, mother?”

I didn’t have an answer. By the time I became an eight week-

pregnant mother, carrying you hushed in my womb, along with you, my health was also deteriorating. And then your father � nally showed up to help. There were so many things I wanted to tell him about you, but I couldn’t.

He scheduled a legal abortion surgery with the best doctor in town. The procedure is called dilation and curettage, a procedure to remove embryo tissues from the uterus. I don’t remember anything about the moment when they disunited you from me, as I was under anesthesia.

But I am sure you can recall when the doctor took you to meet your father for the � rst and last time after you were separated from me. He waited outside the operation theatre the whole time, and he was the one who saw you � rst, when you stepped into the world.

During the period when he was not in contact with me and was sending me updates through his girlfriends, friends, and relatives, I felt like ripping him apart, or just slaying him alive.

But the moment I saw your father face to face, waiting outside the OT to see you for the last time, to ensure I was alright post-surgery, all my anger melted away.

I know from the way I described all the

incidents, you must be thinking your father is a bad person. But my dear boy, I can assure you he is one of the best memories of my life. It’s just that he didn’t love me back the way I loved him, and he can’t be held accountable, because love is a thing that can never be forced.

The timing was also wrong. I couldn’t be the person he was looking for at the time, so we parted ways. I can soothe you with the comfort that you were not carrying a deceiver’s blood. Your father is anything but a betrayer. He never disrespected or o� ended me, however we still couldn’t be compatible.

Sometimes, it happens that a one-sided love story hurts less by letting go. Don’t think that you were the result of a mistake. However, your father and I were not strong enough to hold on. We just never wanted to give you a scattered life.

Though, the guilt of letting you go is haunting me every night, the craving, the nausea, the discomfort -- all are gone. The memory of your existence is recalled at every sunrise. I think of you every now and then, I think of how it would be if you still were with me.

I wish I was lucky enough to thold you at least once. I wish the Almighty was kind enough to allow me to hold your tiny � ngers. I wish I could bring you into this

world, which is tough but also very beautiful to live in. I wish we could witness a sunset together, where the sky goes magically pink before going dark.

Would you promise to come back to my life despite the fact I have been an irresponsible mother? Would you give me a second chance and forgive me? Would I be blessed enough to feel your toes on my hands ever?

Mommy will be waiting to meet you soon.Take care, my son.With love, Your Mother l

Zoynab Ria is a former communications o� cer and is now working as a corporate executive and freelance writer.

A letter to my son

Sometimes it happens that a one-sided love story hurts less by letting go. Don’t think that you were a result of a mistake. However, your father and I were not strong enough to hold on. We just never wanted to give you a scattered life

The trauma of an abortion is indissoluble. This is the concluding part of yesterday’s long form

A mother may lose her baby, but she never forgets him BIGSTOCK

15D

TBusinessTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Emerging economies going downhill fastMore than a trillion dollars of investment � ows has � ed emerging markets over the past 18 months but the exodus may not even be halfway done, as once-booming econo-mies appear trapped in a slow-bleeding cycle of weak growth and investment. PAGE 18

NBR chasing down second home settlers abroadThe National Board of Revenue is making an all-out e� ort to chase and identify Bang-ladeshis, who have siphoned o� money to settle in di� erent countries under various second home schemes. The authorities have already increased its capacity and working very cautiously to address the matter, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said yesterday. PAGE 16

Market tailspin hastens the economic shock it fearsOne of the biggest worries about this month’s sudden seizure in world markets is how puz-zled investors have been left by it, and how many are just wishing it away as a temporary blip. PAGE 17

Capital market snapshot: WednesdayDSE

Broad Index 4,669.5 -0.6% ▼

Index 1,122.5 -0.5% ▼

30 Index 1,755.9 -0.6% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk 6,699.6 -7.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Volume 227.6 -5.4% ▼

CSEAll Share Index 14,265.4 -0.7% ▼

30 Index 12,466.8 -0.6% ▼

Selected Index 8,674.8 -0.7% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk 415.5 -15.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Volume 17.1 -5.7% ▼

INSIDE

ITC shares zoom despite negative earnings n Kayes Sohel

The stock price of newly listed Information Technology Consultants (ITC) has skyrock-eted despite the company’s negative � rst quarter � nancial results, which surprised many, including the company itself.

On Dhaka Stock Exchange, its share pric-es witnessed a dramatic rise of 680% to over Tk78 a share on its o� er value of Tk10 at a stretch until Tuesday from its debut on January 10. However, yesterday, the IT � rm su� ered a sharp sell-o� and slumped almost 10%.

Rumours about an in� uential person having investment in the company and speculation of its EPS (earning per share) to be healthier in future have worked like a magic for ballooning stock price of the ITC, market sources said.

Asked about the rumour, a top company o� cial said on condition of anonymity: “It is totally baseless. Moreover, we are sur-prised about the company’s price behav-iour.”

VIPB Asset Management Company CEO Shahidul Islam said: “It was just a specula-tive rally, which � nally failed to sustain.”

A � nancial analyst at a top brokerage � rm said considering the company’s growth history, ITC stock price is overvalued.

Stock prices of other listed IT � rms – Aamra Technologies, Agni System, ISN, Intech, and Da� oldil Computers – were cur-rently between Tk12 and Tk28 a share and many of which have large investment in the

IT sector. “So, it is clear like daylight what price should be for the new comer,” said the analyst.

In response to a DSE query, the compa-ny said it has no undisclosed price sensitive information for recent unusual price hike.

Before the market opened, the ITC re-ported negative earnings for the � rst quar-ter (July-September) of this � scal year. Its losses stood at Tk41.4 lakh in the � rst quar-ter, which was over Tk3 crore a year earlier, showing that its earnings improved but re-mained in the negative. During the period, the EPS of the company was Tk0.06 against Tk0.05.

The ITC provides IT services for banks and its 100% revenue comes from local sales, according to the company’s prospectus.

After analysing its � nancial perfor-

mance, it was found that the company failed to generate returns for its sharehold-ers in comparison to its peer companies. In addition, the return of earning of the ITC � uctuated mostly from 2011 to 2014, which indicated a higher risk for the shareholders.

About the pro� tability ratios, the compa-ny’s cost e� ciency is worse than its peers as the gross and operating margin is materially lower than its peers despite the net

margin that stood better than sector av-erage.

In its analysis, Royal Capital said the strength of the company in demand for IT services is very high nowadays, and bank loan and other � nances are available. The weaknesses are: the company has no div-idend history and cash � ow appears to be volatile over the last � ve years. l

Bangladesh fails to get AIIB membership n Tribune Report

Bangladesh has not got membership of newly launched Asian Infrastructure In-vestment Bank (AIIB) as the country did not have the law rati� ed in the Parliament, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith while talking to journalists in Dhaka yesterday after re-turning from China.

“Our membership request has been re-jected for the time being as we have not had the AIIB law rati� ed in our Parliament,” he lamented. “But Bangladesh remains as an observer of the bank.”

Muhith said they were unaware of the urgency of rati� cation, admitting that this was “our failure and negligence.” “We at-tended the last meeting in China in October last year to discuss about setting up of AIIB. But we didn’t follow up the matter.”

AMA Muhith said additional secretary of the Economic Relations Division Asif-uz-Zaman would be included in the bank’s board of directors from Bangladesh.

He said the Chinese government had giv-en $2bn to set up a building for the bank, while the authorities selected a site for its

headquarters in the centre of Beijing, the capital of China.

About loan disbursement of the AIIB, � -nance minister said the bank might start dis-bursing loan in next four months. He hoped Bangladesh would get loans from the bank for development of communication system and the bank would prioritise developing Bangla-desh’s road networks and connectivity.

He said the country had already submit-ted proposals for eight infrastructure devel-opment projects in road, railway, and ICT sectors involving $7bn to the bank. Muhith said the government was focusing on road link project be-tween Cox’s Bazar and My-anmar.

The interest rate of the AIIB loans would be less than 2% with a grace period of 8-9 years, quite comparable to credits from World Bank and International Monetary Fund, � nance minister said.

In reply to a question, he said every development

partner except Japan and South Korea took supplier credit. He hoped China would also follow Japan and Korea in this regard.

Muhith said: “A huge number of Chinese private � rms are now in negotiation with di� erent ministries and divisions in Bang-ladesh. In these negotiations, the develop-ment projects should be prioritised.”

Letters would be sent to ministries and divisions with suggestions on prioritising development projects that would serve greater interest of the nation, he said. l

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Source: DSE

PRICE MOVEMENT OF ITC STOCK PRICE (TK)

Business16DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

PowerPac allowed to develop Mongla EZ n Tribune Report

Cabinet Committee on economic a� airs has approved the Prime Minister’s O� ce proposal to appoint private developer PowerPac to de-velop the site of Mongla Economic Zone (MEZ).

The approval came at a meeting of the committee, presided over by � nance minis-ter AMA Muhith at the secretariat yesterday.

According to o� cial documents, Abul Kalam Azad, principal secretary to the Prime Minister’s O� ce, recently sent a proposal to Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) for � nalising the agreement with PowerPac, a sister concern of Sikder Group, to develop and operate the MEZ as the coun-try’s � rst-ever economic zone in public-pri-vate partnership model.

PowerPac Holdings Limited and Power-Pac-Mutiara Keraniganj Power Plant Limited, a joint venture company, have already signed an initial agreement with the BEZA for the site’s development.

The government is going to build the economic zone on 205 acres of land, which was bought from the Mongla Port Authority. Now PowerPac will develop the site with all necessary infrastructure. According to BEZA o� cials, the MEZ is expected to be operative by 2018. l

Pharma exporters eye $1bn by 2020 n Tribune Report

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical exports may reach to $1bn annually by 2020 if the maximum approval time of raw material imports is reduced to 30 days from 75 days now as per the government pledge, said exporters.

Bangladesh Aushad Shilpa Samity (BASS) leaders and pharmaceutical manufacturers were speaking about the problems and po-tentiality of the sector at a views exchange meeting with Department of Narcotics Con-trol (DNC) and Directorate of Drug Adminis-tration (DDA) in Dhaka yesterday.

DDA Directorate General Maj Gen Md Musta� zur Rahman and Director General of DNC Khandakar Rakibur Rahman were pres-ent at the meeting.

“Manufacturers fail to supply products to buyers in time as it takes 75 days to get approval for raw material imports,” said Khandakar Rakibur Rahman. “This is caus-ing loss of acceptability of producers to buy-ers. That’s why we have decided to speed up the approval process and we are doing this by February.”

He said: “We will go online to further speed up the process.”

Managing Director of Incepta Pharmaceu-ticals Abdul Muktadir lauded the initiative and said this would be a great achievement if the import approval time decreased to 30 days as it would help the business expand faster.

He hoped with the initiative imple-mented, the pharmaceutical products export could reach $1bn by 2020 and $10bn by 2025.

“As we are exporting to emerging markets, our export is growing slowly. But once we en-ter the generic product market where prices are higher, the growth will be fast,” said Ab-dul Muktadir.

He said � ve Bangladeshi companies had already been registered in the UK and the US markets to export pharmaceutical products.

In the last � scal year, the country’s phar-maceutical industry earned $73m from ex-ports and in � rst half of the current � scal year, the exports increased 17.22% to $43m compared to $36.76m a year ago.

Presently, there are some 250 pharmaceu-tical � rms in the country meeting 97% of do-mestic demands and 30 companies exporting to 107 international destinations, especially the least developed countries. l

NBR chasing down second home settlers abroadn Tribune Report

The National Board of Revenue is making an all-out e� ort to chase and identify Bang-ladeshis, who have siphoned o� money to settle in di� erent countries under various second home schemes.

The authorities have already increased its capacity and working very cautiously to address the matter, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said yesterday.

A number of wings inside NBR are work-ing very actively with policy level research, exchange of information with other agencies and with forensic lab to deal with the matter, he said.

The NBR chairman made the comment while inaugurating a two-day-long special workshop on “Countering Trade-Based Money Laundering” at the Institution of Diploma En-gineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) building in the city.

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate of NBR organised the workshop to create awareness and enhance capacity of customs o� cials to deter the trade-based money laundering, which accounts for around 85% of total money laundering from the country.

A total of 50 intelligence and customs o� -cials from the country’s six customs stations and other customs directorates are attending the workshop.

With the Money Laundering Prevention (amendment) act 2015, the government has empowered the customs wing to investigate and prosecute the money laundering allega-

tions. Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (ACC) was the sole authority to investi-gate such o� ences.

Terming money laundering a complex problem across the globe, NBR Chief Nojibur Rahman emphasised more surveillance of the prevention mechanisms so that not only the out� ow, but also the in� ow of illicit mon-ey can be prevented.

Citing the examples of recent cocain haul, gold haul and fake currency haul, Nojibur said all these are connected with illicit � nan-cial � ow.

He stressed more training to customs of-� cials and coordination with all intelligence agencies to counter the � nancial crimes being committed with the help of new techniques.

Big countries have to impose regulations on their countries so that illicit money can-not enter their country from the developing countries, he stressed.

There are two steps in illicit � nancial � ow. The � rst step works for entering illicit money

into a country while the second one into the country’s economy.

Nojibur said NBR will work to create bar to the second stage to injecting illicit fund into the country’s economy.

The Customs Intelligence and Investiga-tion Directorate Director General, Moinul Khan, said the recent Global Financial In-tegrity report, launched in 2015, said a huge amount of money is being siphoned out of Bangladesh every year.

According to GFI report, USD$9.6 billion to Tk76,000 crore was siphoned o� from Bangladesh alone in 2013, which is very sig-ni� cant and important signal to the authori-ties to address the issue, he added.

NBR engaged all three wings to combat transfer pricing

Replying to a query, Nojibur said NBR has engaged its all three wings – income tax, cus-toms and value added tax – to combat trans-fer pricing.

Most businesses are honest in the country while only a few are dishonest, he said, add-ing that the tax regulator always makes a list of dishonest traders ready, and listing such traders is a continuous process.

The tax authority is monitoring the mat-ter so that dishonest businesses, who evade tax, do business with fake VAT registration, and import goods through false declaration, come under its surveillance.

Responding to another query, Nojibur said the authorities will be able to meet the reve-nue target set for the � scal year although the target is very high. l

Three-day car expo begins tomorrown Tribune Report

A three-day-long car expo titled “BARVIDA Car Expo 2016” will kick o� tomorrow in the capital with an aim to create awareness among consumers about eco-friendly cars.

Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Im-porters and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) and Splash Group are jointly hosting the fair to give buyers a clear conception about next generation vehicles as well as hybrid, hydro-gen, and electronic fuel cell vehicles.

Buyers will be able to choose and buy their preferred cars from stalls of multiple showrooms from the expo to be held at In-ternational Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the city.

Along with the showrooms, various banks, leasing � rms, � nancial institutions, insurance companies, tire and battery com-panies, CNG conversion companies, vehicle security management and vehicle accesso-ries companies will participate in the fair.

National Board of Revenue and Bangla-desh Road Transport Authority will have their booths at the expo so consumers can get information on taxes and registration fees.

“We are very happy to be a part of the BARVIDA Car Expo 2016,” said Misha Ali, managing director of Bikroy.com. l

Stocks fall on pro� t booking n Tribune Report

Stocks closed lower yesterday as investors continued to prefer short-term pro� t booking.

The benchmark index DSEX was down 28 points or 0.6% to settle at 4,669, ending its two-day moderate rally.

The Shariah index DSES moved down around 6 points to 1,122. The blue chip comprising index DS30 shed 11 points or 0.7% to 1,756.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX closed at 8,675, slip-ping 61 points.

Participation in trading declined to Tk670 crore, down 26% over the previous session at DSE. Textile had the highest contribution of more than 24.2% of the total turnover.

Pharmaceuticals showed the highest turn-over increase of 44% while telecommunica-tion the highest turnover loss of 52%.

The market breadth, however, remained negative as out of the total 326 scrips traded at DSE, 84 declined, 201 advanced and 41 re-mained unchanged.

Heavyweight telecommunications sector, led by top mobile operator Grameenphone, declined 1.6%, snapping its � ve-day consec-utive rose.

Pro� t booking also took place in bank, non-banking � nancial institutions, pharma-ceuticals, power and engineering sectors.

IDLC Investments said uncertainties sur-rounding the global economic condition and its possible impact on an export dependent country like Bangladesh instigated the inves-tors to dim down their economic outlook.

“Resultantly, the market faced correction re� ecting the presumptions of meticulous investors.” l

‘A number of wings inside NBR are working very actively with policy level research, exchange of information with other agencies and with forensic lab to deal with the matter’

Business 17D

TTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Market tailspin hastens the economic shock it fearsn Reuters, London

One of the biggest worries about this month’s sudden seizure in world markets is how puzzled investors have been left by it, and how many are just wishing it away as a temporary blip.

History suggests governments and central banks would do well to sit up and take notice, but with policy coordination at its lowest ebb in decades, a coherent response is unlikely.

With almost $6tn wiped o� the value of global stock markets since the start of the year and another 25% o� already low oil pric-es, there is a real risk investor anxiety itself will be the catalyst for a world recession.

And when market turbulence starts to crystallize the very problem investors are worried about - what wonks call a negative feedback loop - then these rare but danger-ous spirals in con� dence are notoriously dif-� cult to halt.

By any measure, we are in historic territory.Over the past 28 years - or 336 months -

only 12 months have seen bigger losses in the MSCI World stock index than January 2016. Over half of those were associated with major market crises, including the Lehman Brothers bust of 2008/09, the dot.com im-plosion of 2001/02 and the emerging markets crash of the late 1990s.

Lowering the International Monetary Fund’s 2016 world growth forecast by another 0.2 percentage points to 3.4% this week, IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld said mar-kets were reacting ‘very strongly’ to bits of evidence in a volatile, risk averse climate - but one where little fundamental had changed.

His predecessor Olivier Blanchard, now writing for Washington’s Peterson Institute, sympathises with that view but warned against ignoring the seizure in markets.

“How much should we worry? This is where economics stops giving an answer,” Blanchard said.

“If ... the stock market slump lasts longer or gets worse, it can become self-ful� lling. Low stock prices lasting for long lead to lower consumption, lower demand, and, potential-ly, to a recession.”

US bank Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday it now sees a 20% chance of a 2016 world reces-sion, as de� ned by sub-2.5% growth rate that is needed to keep pace with population gains.

Fear itself?But why all the new year panic? Most econ-omists blame a con� uence of events rather

than any sudden shock.China’s deepening slowdown, pressure to

devalue its yuan and its increasingly perplexing currency policy are all potential game-chang-ers but have been building for months.

So too has the collapse in oil prices and other commodities, now more than 18 months old albeit a seemingly bottomless slide that is feeding o� the China concerns.

These were joined last month by the � rst rise in US interest rates in a decade which, by bol-stering the already pumped-up US dollar, has arguably exaggerated both the oil price fall and China’s yuan conundrum and capital � ight.

Add to that potent mix the currency, com-modity and interest rate pressures on emerg-ing countries from Russia and Brazil to South Africa and the Gulf, an unwinding of these countries’ sovereign investments overseas, and investor � ight from the equity and bonds of energy and mining companies.

Everyone can see a spiral forming, but few see where it ends. The threat of a major re-set of global market valuations amid high vola-tility is enough for many conservative inves-tors to go to ground until it all plays out.

The now famous “sell (mostly) everything” note issued by Britain’s RBS last week was not a mere throwaway. It focused on the risk of markets snowballing as world trade and credit growth struggle, currency wars go up a gear and China and oil feed o� each other. A 10-20 percent stock reversal

was its best guess.“The world is in trouble,” it said.If so, where’s the cavalry?By consensus, there appears to be about as

much chance of a con� dence-boosting grand economic policy agreement this year as there is of oil prices returning to $100 a barrel.

Coincidentally, China chairs the G20 group of world economic powers this year. Finance chiefs meet in Shanghai next month.

But internal dilemmas mean global coor-dination is likely to be low on Beijing’s pri-ority list.

The US Federal Reserve also paid little heed to international concerns when hiking rates last month, while Saudi Arabia has shown scant consideration for other oil exporters as it plays out a crude price war to protect mar-ket share against US shale producers.

Germany has been at loggerheads with much of the rest of the euro zone and G7 part-ners for years over � scal policy and austerity.

Harvard economist Je� rey Frenkel notes that global economic cooperation has been stymied by international di� erences and do-mestic political divisions on policy, as well as growing disagreement between economists on how to model the world.

“When two players sit down at the board, they are unlikely to have a satisfactory game if one of them thinks they are playing check-ers and the other thinks they are playing chess,” he wrote in a paper this month. l

A woman talking on a mobile phone walks past a panel displaying the midday Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong REUTERS

China’s just-so growth no balm for slowdown fearsn Peter Thal Larsen

China’s soothing growth numbers are no balm for nervous investors. O� cial data show the world’s second-largest economy expanded by 6.9% in 2015, exactly as expect-ed. That predictability contrasts sharply with the recent China-driven slide in global mar-kets. But then, the numbers do little to ease concerns about the weak yuan or the coun-try’s ever-increasing debt pile.

Headline statistics support the govern-ment’s assertion that the People’s Republic is experiencing a steady but manageable slowdown. While the traditional drivers of growth, such as manufacturing and invest-ment, are slowing, Chinese consumers are picking up the slack: consumption account-ed for two-thirds of growth in gross domestic product (GDP) last year.

For many, the numbers are just another reason to be wary of o� cial Chinese statis-tics. Other � gures suggest a more severe de-celeration. For example, power generation su� ered its � rst full-year decline since 1968.

Yet doubts about Chinese data have been around for years. Nothing has changed this year. A more likely culprit for the worldwide sello� is the weakening yuan, and fears that there is further depreciation to come.

Though Chinese o� cials insist the ren-minbi’s value will remain broadly stable against a basket of other currencies, their reassurances jar with signs that Chinese in-vestors are trying to move money out of the country. A further devaluation that also leads to weakness in other emerging market currencies would be a blow to growth in the euro zone and Japan, according to Oxford Economics.

Meanwhile, investors are increasingly worried about Chinese o� cials’ grip on the � nancial system. This matters as planners grapple with the country’s mounting debt pile. Despite talk of deleveraging, the stock of outstanding credit increased by more than 12% last year, according to BNP Paribas – far ahead of the expansion in nominal output.

China’s state-controlled and relatively closed � nancial system should give plan-ners more scope to avert a messy debt melt-down. But their bungled e� orts to prop up the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets – while of little consequence to the broader econo-my – have undermined con� dence in China’s � nancial bureaucracy. That is something sup-posedly reassuring data cannot restore. l

Peter is Asia Editor of Reuters Breakingviews, based in Hong Kong. The article was initially published at Reuters.

‘India would be very concerned by big China devaluation’n Reuters, New Delhi

India would be very concerned if China were to allow a major devaluation in the yuan currency, its Group of 20 summit negotiator told Reuters, adding that he doubted Beijing would allow this to happen.

Arvind Panagariya, who also heads the government’s main economic advisory body, also said that the strength of the Indian ru-

pee against many currencies had contribut-ed to the weak export performance of Asia’s third-largest economy.

“India has to be certainly very concerned if a massive or very large devaluation of the yuan happens,” Panagariya said in an interview after returning from a visit to China to discuss preparations for this year’s G20 summit.

“In the end, that not only makes Indian

goods less competitive in the Chinese market but also India’s ability to compete with the Chinese in third markets is impacted.”

Panagariya, appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a year ago to run his govern-ment’s Policy Commission, said he doubted China would allow the yuan to crash: “The Chinese are not going to let the yuan devalue excessively.”

Commenting on the rupee, he said the In-

dian currency had appreciated substantially against most currencies apart from the dollar.

That was a “concern”, he said, because In-dian exports have declined over the past year even as global trade has grown slightly.

“While one can say that some of the de-cline is due to the global economy itself, in terms of export markets barely growing, I think some of the burden also falls on the ap-preciation of the rupee,” said Panagariya. l

Business18DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

CORPORATE NEWS

Prime Bank has recently signed an agreement with Election Commission on NID veri� cation services. The bank’s DMD, Syed Faridul Islam and director (operations) of National Identity Registration Wing of Election Commission, Syed Mohammad Musa signed the agreement

City Bank has recently donated Tk18 lakh to Bangladesh Institute of Bank management (BIBM) to support one of its Chair Professor positions, as part of the bank’s CSR initiatives. The bank’s MD & CEO, Sohail RK Hussain handed over a cheque to Dr Tou� c Ahmad Choudhury, director general of BIBM in this regard, said a press release

Emerging economies going downhill fastn Reuters, Davos

More than a trillion dollars of investment � ows has � ed emerging markets over the past 18 months but the exodus may not even be halfway done, as once-booming econo-mies appear trapped in a slow-bleeding cycle of weak growth and investment.

While developing economies are no stranger to � nancial crises, with several currency and debt cataclysms infecting all emerging markets in waves over recent decades, leaders gather-ing for this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos in the Swiss Alps are fearful that this ep-isode is much harder to shake o� .

Seeded by fears of tighter US credit and a rising US dollar, and coming alongside a sec-ular slowdown of China’s economy and an implosion of the related commodity ‘super-cycle’, there’s growing anxiety that there will be no sharp rebound at the end of this down-turn to reward investors who braved out the worst moments.

“The global backdrop and the drivers for emerging markets are very di� erent from 2001,” David Spegel, head of emerging mar-kets at ICBC Standard Bank said, referring to the time Asia, Russia and Brazil were recov-ering from the crisis waves of the late-1990s.

“Back then all the stars were aligned for globalization and emerging markets bene� t-ed the most. This time around, we just don’t have those multiple catalysts.”

The chief catalyst in 2001 was of course China. Its entry to the World Trade Organi-sation unleashed a decade-long export and investment miracle that propelled its econo-my from sixth place globally, to the world’s second biggest.

Its ascent hauled up much of the develop-ing world, from Latin American exporters of soy and steel to the Asian workshops which became part of its gigantic factory supply chain. But its slowdown is whacking these countries equally hard.

Exports from emerging markets - from Korean cars to Chilean copper - are declining year-on-year at the sharpest rate since the 2008-09 crisis, according to UBS.

Global trade in fact likely grew slower than the world economy for the fourth straight year in 2015, according to the WTO, a United Nations body. That contrasts with previous decades when commerce expanded at least twice as fast as world growth.

The gloomy conclusion some are reaching is that the China e� ect was possibly a once-in-a-lifetime shift, whose e� ects are now dis-sipating forever.

“Rather than expecting emerging mar-kets to mean-revert toward the golden years of 2002-2007, there is a risk that in terms

of trade, what we are reverting to is the en-vironment of 1980s,” UBS strategist Manik Narain said.

FlightOne feature of the “golden years” was the extraordinary amount of capital that poured into the developing world; according to the Washington DC-based Institute of Interna-tional Finance net in� ows in 2001-2011 to-taled nearly $3tn.

Some of this is starting to reverse as last year saw the � rst net capital out� ow since 1988, a $540bn loss, says the IIF which pre-dicts more � ight in 2016.

Other forecasters such as JPMorgan reckon nearly a trillion dollars have � ed China alone since mid-2014; its central bank reserves alone declined more than $500bn last year.

Redemptions from emerging stock and bond funds hit a record $60bn last year, ac-cording to fund tracker EPFR Global.

IIF executive director Hung Tran says emerging markets’ problems are not just external. They must overcome a key home-grown issue - falling productivity.

Tran estimates productivity, which pro-vides clues on future economic growth, is growing at just 0.9% a year across much of the developing world, a quarter the rate seen before 2007 and not far from richer coun-tries’ 0.4%.

“Productivity advantage of EM coun-tries, which is key for attracting capital � ows and investment, has collapsed,” Tran said. “There is a cycle of diminishing returns on investment.”

Slow-burn crisisThere are some bright spots such as India and Mexico. But with China fears on the rise and Brazil and Russia in recession for the second straight year, investment returns across the sector are unlikely to recover soon, many fear.

Emerging stock market performance has lagged developed peers for � ve years now, and corporate earnings have shrunk for more than four years, Morgan Stanley has calculated.

This is the longest decline in the MSCI eq-uity index’s history, MS says, noting the long-est prior earnings recession in the asset class was after the 1997 crisis and lasted two years.

Richard House, head of EM debt at Stand-ard Life Investments, notes the strengthen-ing dollar is spooking investors in emerging currency bonds too.

“Fund performance hasn’t been good across the industry ... Local market funds have been an out� ow asset class for a while and that experience is going to impact peo-ple’s mindset going forward,” House said.

The fear of large-scale out� ows is clearly on policymakers’ minds. To combat such an exodus, emerging economies may have to re-sort to radical measures such as coordinated securities market interventions, of the kind done in the West after 2008, Mexican central bank head Agustin Carstens has suggested

Ultimately though he said that to boost long-term growth, there was only one solu-tion - tough economic reform. l

The congress center is pictured ahead of the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland REUTERS

‘Productivity advantage of EM countries, which is key for attracting capital � ows and investment, has collapsed’

Biz Info 19D

T

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Bangladesh and its implementation partner British Council organised the � nale event for the “Kids Read” programme recently in Chittagong.

Launched in January 2015, the programme has been implemented in six government schools in Chittagong division, of which four were in the port city and two in Cox’s Bazar. The programme helped to develop the reading skills of 3,022 children in the age group of 7 to 12 years and also provided professional development training for teachers through teachers training programmes.

In the � nale event, the children were awarded certi� cates and prizes for participating in storytelling and art competitions which were based on the books they read. 96 children received prizes at the ceremony.

Professor Irshad Kamal Khan, pro vice chancellor, Chittagong Independent University was present as the chief guest at the event. The programme was also attended by Barbara Wickham, country director of British Council, Robert S Hermelin, head of human resources of HSBC Bangladesh, Abdullah Al Jubayer, manager, corporate sustainability of HSBC Bangladesh as well as parents, teachers and winners of the participating schools.

“Kids Read” is an award-winning “reading for pleasure scheme” supported by HSBC and developed and delivered by British Council. It was initially created to help children enjoy reading across the

Middle East and North Africa region as teachers and parents often struggle to � nd ways to motivate children to read. In 2015, “Kids Read” moved to the Asia Paci� c region with Bangladesh being one of seven territories or countries o� ering the programme. This includes Hong Kong,

Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is the founding member of the HSBC Group, which serves around 48 million customers through four global businesses: Retail Banking

and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Private Banking. The Group serves customers worldwide from over 6,100 o� ces in 72 countries and territories in Asia, Europe, North and Latin America, and other countries. l

HSBC and British Council organise ‘Kids Read’ � nale event

This winter Aura Beauty Lounge has launched four new services for beauty conscious women. One of the new o� er includes whitening facial, fair and glow manicure/pedicure, premium party make-up with exclusive bridal make-up only for Tk12,000. The second o� er combines one exclusive party make-up with premium holud make-up and premium bridal make-up only for Tk16,000. With three premium party make-up customers can get one premium party make-up free alongside which, with one exclusive bridal make-up, one exclusive party make-up, one exclusive holud make-up and one exclusive reception make-up customers can get one party make-up free.

Beauty expert Nishat Adnan Tarik, owner of Aura Beauty Lounge said “At Aura Beauty Lounge we always come up with new services for beauty conscious women. For this reason, to gear up for winter and for the bridal season, we have come up with many exclusive packages for customers. This includes skin treatment procedures and all kinds of bridal makeovers - clients can now get the type of makeover they have always desired. Aura beauty lounge also provides all kinds of parlour services including facials, hair and body treatments, hairstyling, manicure/pedicure, makeovers, bridal make-up and high-end spa services.” l

Aura Beauty Lounge launches four new winter services

Radisson o� ering 40% o� on gym memberships

Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden is now o� ering upto 40% o� on health club memberships. New and renewal yearly memberships will receive a 10% discount. Three month memberships will receive 40% and yearly family memberships will receive 20% discounts. The o� er will be valid till February 29, 2016. For more details contact Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden or call +880 29834555 (Ext:8182), +8801720-907-698. l

Downtime20DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

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 19 represents P so � ll P every time the � gure 19 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.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CROSSWORD

Across1 European capital (5)5 Church recess (4)8 Slowly (mus) (6)9 Thespian (5)10 Circle (4)11 Finds pleasing (5)12 Little devil (3)15 Blockhead (4)18 Business transac-tions (5)21 Present (3)22 Uprising (4)24 Satellite (4)25 Stringed instruments (5)28 Smooth and even (mus) (6)29 Look narrowly (4)30 Unwanted plants (5)

Down 1 Calm (6)2 Rodent (3)3 Worshipped image (4)4 Hindu garment (4)5 Ventilated (5)6 Malignant substance (6)7 Work unit (3)13 Myself (2)14 Conditional release (6)16 Behold! (2)17 Interwines (6)19 Passenger ship (5)20 As stated (2)23 Melt, as snow (4)24 Traveller’s aid (3)26 Consumed (3)27 Fish eggs (3)

SUDOKU

INSIDE

21D

TWorldTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Saudi takes steps out of welfare state under King SalmanFaced with a massive decline in oil reve-nues, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman marked his � rst year in power by taking steps to end his kingdom’s generous welfare system.

PAGE 23

Vietnam on the boil ahead of communist leadership changeFrom Soviet-style letters of denunciation to outlandish rumours of a coup, Hanoi is abuzz with political gossip ahead of a key leader-ship change this week that has plunged the ruling communist elite into turmoil.

PAGE 24

Immigration case could hurt Republican outreach to US Hispanics For a Republican Party trying to woo Hispanic voters, the timing of the US Supreme Court’s review of the legality of President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration could not come at a more awkward time.

PAGE 24

CHRONICLE

Deadliest insurgent attacks in PakistanGunmen attacked a university in the northwest-ern Pakistani town of Charsadda Wednesday and police said at least 21 people were killed. The Pakistani Taliban, whose insurgency has killed thousands since it erupted in 2007, claimed re-sponsibility.

Here is a list of major attacks by them and oth-ers since 2007--

2007October 18 Bomb attacks targeting former prime minister Benazir Bhutto kill 139 people in Karachi as she returns to Pakistan for the � rst time in eight years. She was later killed in another gun and sui-cide attack on December 27.

2008August 21 Twin suicide attacks kill 64 people outside Paki-stan’s main arms factory in Wah near Islamabad.September 20 Sixty people are killed when a suicide truck bomb brings down part of the � ve-star Marriott hotel in Islamabad.

2009October 28 A car bomb destroys a market in the northwest-ern city of Peshawar, killing 125 people.

2010January 1 A suicide car bomb kills 101 people at a village volleyball game in the northwestern district of Bannu.March 12 Twin suicide attacks on the military in Lahore kill 57.May 28 Gun and suicide attackers storm mosques be-longing to the Ahmadi religious minority in La-hore, killing 82 people.July 9 A suicide bomber blows himself up in a busy mar-ket in the northwestern Mohmand tribal district, killing 105 people.September 3A suicide attack kills 59 at a Shiite Muslim rally in the southwestern city of Quetta.November 5 A suicide bomber kills 68 people during Friday prayers in the northwest’s Darra Adam Khel area.

2011April 3 Fifty die after two suicide bombers attack a Su� shrine in the central town of Dera Ghazi Khan.May 13 Two suicide bombers kill at least 98 people out-side a police cadet training centre in Charsadda.August 19 A suicide bomber hits a mosque during Friday prayers in the tribal district of Khyber, killing at least 43.

2012January 11 Thirty-� ve die when a remote-controlled bomb detonates in a market in the northwestern tribal areas.August 16 Gunmen drag 20 Shiite Muslims o� a bus and

shoot them in the northwestern district of Mansehra.

2013January 10 A double suicide attack on a snooker club kills 92 in a Shia Hazara neighbourhood of Quetta.February 16 A bomb at a market at Hazara Town, a Shia Haz-ara neighbourhood in the suburbs of Quetta, kills 89.March 3 A car bomb explodes in a Shia Muslim neighbour-hood in Karachi, killing 45.July 27 Twin explosions at a busy marketplace in north-west Pakistan kill 41.August 9 A suicide bomber targets the funeral of a senior police o� cer in Quetta, killing 38.September 22 Eighty-two people die when two suicide bombers attack a church in Peshawar after a Sunday service.September 29 A car bomb in a busy market area in Peshawar kills 42.

2014January 19 A bomb rips through a military convoy in the northwestern city of Bannu, killing 20 soldiers.January 21 A bomb on a bus kills 24 Shia pilgrims in the southwestern province of Balochistan.June 10 Ten Taliban militants lay siege to Karachi airport,

killing 27 people.November 2 Fifty-� ve are killed by a suicide bomber at the daily closing ceremony at the main Pakistan-India border crossing.December 16 Taliban insurgents storm an army-run school in Peshawar, killing at least 154 people including 135 children.

2015January 30 62 people are killed as a suicide bomber hits a Shia mosque in the Shikarpur district.February 13 Militants attack a Shiite mosque in Peshawar, kill-ing 22.May 13 Forty-three Shia Muslims are killed when gunmen open � re on their bus in Karachi.September 18 The Pakistani Taliban attack an air force base near Peshawar and kill at least 29 people, most of them servicemen.October 23 A suspected suicide blast which targeted Shiite Muslims in the southern city of Jacobabad kills 24.December 13 A bomb rips through a crowded bazaar in a main-ly Shiite area of Pakistan’s northwestern tribal region, killing at least 23.December 29 A Taliban suicide bomber on a motorcycle kills 26 in the northwestern town of Mardan. l

Source: AFP

Pakistani policemen stand at the bottom of stairs splattered with blood, where Taliban militants were killed, at Bacha Khan university following an attack AFP

AdvertisementTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

22DT

WorldSOUTH ASIAMyanmar arrests leader of Sa� ron RevolutionMyanmar has arrested a former monk and leader of a 2007 uprising on grounds of illegal-ly crossing the border, media said on Wednes-day, spotlighting the issue of political prison-ers that faces Aung San Suu Kyi’s incoming government. Nyi Nyi Lwin, better known as Gambira, was freed from prison during a 2012 general amnesty. Since his release, Gambira has divided his time between Myanmar and neighboring Thailand, but Myanmar authori-ties have re-arrested him several times. -AFP

INDIAIndia launches satellite, moves closer to its own GPSIndia successfully launched the � fth of a con-stellation of navigation satellites on Wednes-day, as part of a programme that will reduce dependency on the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and other networks. India’s plan is to have seven satellites that will pro-vide navigational information over the coun-try and upto 1,500km around the mainland, Indian Space Research Organisation said. The American GPS, Russia’s Glonass and Europe’s Galileo have dozens of satellites to provide information across the globe. -REUTERS

CHINAChinese president in Saudi Arabia to bolster tiesChinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the � rst stop on a trip to raise the economic giant’s political pro� le in a troubled Middle East. The two sides signed 14 agreements and memoranda of under-standing, many of them on economic issues. One dealt with establishing a mechanism for consultations on � ghting terrorism, while another foresaw cooperation on building a nuclear reactor. -AFP

ASIA PACIFICBalance of Asia-Paci� c military power shifting against USThe balance of military power in the Asia-Pa-ci� c is shifting against the US, as China and North Korea challenge the credibility of US security commitments and the Pentagon faces spending limits, according to a study re-leased on Tuesday. Researchers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which conducted the study for the US Department of Defense, were left concerned that President Barack Obama’s rebalance of US interests toward Asia might not be su� cient to secure US interests in the region. -REUTERS

MIDDLE EASTDae’sh con� rms death of Jihadi John in SyriaDae’sh con� rmed Tuesday the death of British extremist Jihadi John, saying he was killed in a drone strike in their Syrian stronghold of Raqa in November. Born Mohammed Emwazi, he was known as the executioner of the jihadist group appearing masked in a string of videos showing the beheadings of Western hostages. In its online magazine Dabiq, the group said Emwazi was killed on November 12 as the car he was in was targeted in a strike by an unmanned drone. The US military had said at the time that it was reasonably certain he had been killed in the strike. -AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 201623

DT

ANALYSIS

Saudi takes steps out of welfare state under King Salmann AFP, Riyadh

Faced with a massive decline in oil reve-nues, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman marked his � rst year in power by taking steps to end his kingdom’s generous welfare system.

In a year that could set the pace for mov-ing the Saudi economy away from near-to-tal dependence on energy, the 80-year-old monarch took surprising decisions to cut subsidies and introduced other key eco-nomic reforms.

Analysts say that after decades of using its vast oil resources to subsidise domestic prices and pay generous salaries and bene-� ts, the reality of falling oil prices is hitting home for Saudi authorities.

“I believe we are on the verge of exiting the welfare state,” Saudi economist Turki Fadaq said, speaking of a psychological shift in the Saudi ruling circle.

“The � nal goal of these measures is to re-structure the Saudi economy in a way to stop its total dependence on oil,” Fadaq, head of re-search at Riyadh-based Al-Bilad Capital, said.

Oil prices have plunged to more than 12-year lows due to a glut in supply, dropping below $28 a barrel in trading this week, and have lost three-quarters of their value since mid-2014.

For years, 90% of state revenues in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, came from oil sales and high prices allowed the government to be generous.

But the plunge in prices has left public � -nances reeling, with the kingdom recording an unprecedented $98bn budget de� cit in 2015 and projecting a shortfall of $87bn this year.

Budget overstretchedAnnual revenues have halved in the 19 months of declining oil prices and the kingdom has

been forced to tap its huge � scal reserves.The reserves, accumulated when oil pric-

es were high, dropped from $732bn at the end of 2014 to $632bn in November.

At � rst glance it appeared Salman would continue with the country’s generous tradi-tions when he took over following the death of his half-brother king Abdullah a year ago.

Shortly after acceding to the throne Sal-man splashed out more than $30bn in hand-outs to government employees, the armed forces, students and others.

That came after generous politically mo-tivated salary increases and handouts made by king Abdullah in 2011 after the outbreak of the Arab Spring uprisings across the region.

And subsidies on basic goods and utili-ties, including petrol, electricity and water, continued to keep prices low.

But as oil prices have fallen, the high

spending on wages and subsidies, coupled with the cost of Saudi Arabia’s military in-tervention in Yemen and continued aid to many Arab countries, have left its budget overstretched.

Late last year the government took an unprecedented step by raising the prices of petrol, electricity and water, by up to 80% in some cases.

Saudi Jadwa Investment estimates the country will save $7bn a year from reducing energy subsidies. Other measures have seen Saudi open its stock exchange for the � rst time to non-resident institutional investors and issuing bonds on the domestic market.

More taxation and privatisation meas-ures are planned and observers were stunned when authorities announced this month they may o� er shares in national oil giant Saudi Aramco. l

UK steps up counter-extremism push despite Muslim concernn AFP, London

Britain’s government backed schools that want to ban Muslim women and girls from wearing full-face veils as it ramped up ef-forts Tuesday to counter the appeal of groups like Dae’sh.

The day after Prime Minister David Cameron warned Muslim women to learn English or risk deportation, ministers launched a website to help parents who are worried their children may be at risk of radicalisation.

Speaking at a school in east London from which a trio of girls moved to Syria last year, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said the website was targeting “an enemy... putting poison in the minds and hatred in the hearts of our most vulnerable young people.”

The Educate Against Hate site says signs for parents to look out for include children spending too much time online and “want-

ing to shut down debate or pursue the path of segregation”.

The measures come amid grave concern over the number of people travelling from Britain to Syria to try to join jihadist groups such as IS.

Some 800 Britons have gone to the war-torn country since 2012, with half of them still thought to be there. A further 600 have been stopped from travelling.

Ahead of the website’s launch, Camer-on’s government was drawn into a fresh de-bate about whether Muslim girls should be allowed to wear full-face veils at school.

While Britain currently has no blanket ban on veils, unlike other European coun-tries like France, schools are allowed to pro-hibit them.

Morgan emphasised this in an interview with BBC radio Tuesday but added: “There are certain things... particularly learning to read and to speak, where actually seeing the

teacher’s mouth is very, very important”.Cameron said Monday he would “always

back the authority and the institution” if bodies such as courts and border guards asked to see a veiled woman’s face.

Asked about a possible overall ban, he said: “I do not think that would help.”

But his government’s approach to the is-sue has drawn criticism from some moder-ate Muslim groups.

Highlighting concerns over radicalisa-tion, a documentary was broadcast later Tuesday featuring Siddhartha Dhar, a Briton suspected of being the gunman who fea-tured in an Dae’sh execution video released earlier this month.

“The Jihadis Next Door” featured inter-views with Dhar -- a former bouncy cas-tle salesman who was born a Hindu but converted to Islam, taking the name Abu Rumaysah -- � lmed in London before he moved to Syria in 2014. l

The trio who matters - a picture taken on January 17, 2016 in the Saudi capital Riyadh shows a giant poster on a building bearing a portrait of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, centre, Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed Bin Nayef, left, and Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed Bin Salman AFP

WorldTHURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

24DT

USASarah Palin endorses Trump for US presidentFormer vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin endorsed Republican billionaire Donald Trump on Tuesday, saying the real estate mogul would lead the charge as America’s next president. Palin, who � irted with her own White House run, emerged as a conserv-ative icon and political power-broker follow-ing her failed 2008 vice presidential bid. On the political front the coveted endorsement of Trump comes just 13 days before votes are cast in Iowa, the debut contest in the presidential primary race, and it could give a welcome boost to Trump. -AFP

THE AMERICASArgentina announces measures to prevent drug tra� ckingArgentina decreed measures on Tuesday de-signed to help � ght drug tra� cking, vowing to crack down on smugglers using the country as a transshipment point for Bolivian and Peruvian cocaine destined for the lucrative markets of Europe. Declaring a nationwide public security emergency, the country’s new president Mauricio Macri said the army would be allowed to identify, warn, intimidate and use force against drug � ights. -REUTERS

UKBritain to send thousand troops to PolandBritain will send 1,000 military personnel to take part in Nato defence exercises in Poland, part of an agreement with Warsaw to strengthen security ties, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday. Warsaw, worried about increased Russian military activity, will host a Nato summit in July when it is expected to press for more Nato forces on its soil and in former commu-nist-ruled Europe. Concerns have grown since a pro-Russian rebellion broke out in eastern Ukraine. -REUTERS

EUROPEDefence ministers meet in Paris on anti-Dae’sh � ghtThe defence ministers of seven countries leading the battle against the Dae’sh group met in Paris on Wednesday to review strat-egy as the jihadists spread their in� uence around the globe. The French and US defence ministers, Jean-Yves Le Drian and Ashton Carter, hosted the meeting attended by their Australian, British, Dutch, German and Italian counterparts. -AFP

AFRICAUN seeks $1.3bn in funding for S SudanThe United Nations is seeking $1.3bn in humanitarian aid for South Sudan, where two in ten of the population have been driven from their homes during two years of con� ict. More than 10,000 people have been killed and 2.3 million displaced since the country’s civil war broke out in December 2013. Eugene Owusu, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, said $1.3bn would be the bare minimum needed to sup-port 5.1 million people in the country facing life-threatening circumstances. -REUTERS

INSIGHT

Vietnam on the boil ahead of communist leadership changen AFP, Hanoi

From Soviet-style letters of denunciation to outlandish rumours of a coup, Hanoi is abuzz with political gossip ahead of a key leader-ship change this week that has plunged the ruling communist elite into turmoil.

Politics in authoritarian Vietnam rarely attracts public attention. The communists have run the uni� ed country as a one-party state since decades of war ended in 1975.

But in the internet age, bitter factional in-� ghting has transformed the customarily staid Communist Party Congress, which opens on Thursday in Hanoi, into political theatre.

Leaks and counter-leaks of internal mem-os, letters of denunciation and detailed re-sponses are circulating online. State media has urged people not to read such “poison,” but many have made up their own minds.

At the week-long meeting starting Thurs-day, the country’s top three jobs -- Party General Secretary, President, Prime Minis-ter -- are up for grabs, with all incumbents technically due to retire.

Normally, a deal is agreed months in ad-vance. Analysts say the delay this year high-lights a struggle between the party’s tradi-tional old guard and a more modern breed of politician, embodied by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The in-house dogfightDung, a pro-western reformer who presid-ed over Vietnam joining the WTO and the

US-led Trans Paci� c Partnership trade deal, and has been outspoken over Vietnam’s maritime dispute with China, was tipped by analysts to move up to the powerful party leader position.

But the incumbent, Nguyen Phu Trong, seen as more a conservative apparatchik and closer to Beijing, has been manoeuver-ing to stay on and install allies in top posts.

A political survivor, Dung has weathered corruption allegations, attempts to unseat him, and the failure of the state-owned en-

terprise system that he championed after becoming premier in 2006.

A Hanoi-based diplomat warned a win for Trong’s faction could skewer badly needed economic reforms by bumping competent and less dogmatic politicians to the sidelines.

With a youthful population of some 90m in need of jobs -- and an economy growing at some seven percent a year -- this could be the di� erence between cashing in on tre-mendous potential or “muddling through” for another � ve years. l

A military o� cer stands in front of a poster with communist logo promoting for the 12th national congress of the Vietnam’s communist party AFP

ANALYSIS

Immigration case could hurt Republican outreach to US Hispanics n Reuters, Washington, DC

For a Republican Party trying to woo His-panic voters, the timing of the US Supreme Court’s review of the legality of President Ba-rack Obama’s executive action on immigra-tion could not come at a more awkward time.

The case, which will consider whether Obama exceeded his constitutional author-ity to spare from deportation millions of immigrants in the country illegally, is set to be argued in the coming months with a de-cision due by the end of June.

That would land the issue squarely in the middle of the US presidential race, just weeks before Republicans gather for their convention to choose a nominee in Novem-ber’s election.

A Supreme Court win for the Republi-can-governed states that sued to block Oba-ma’s action surely would have conserva-tives in the party celebrating but might have those in the party who are concerned about reaching Hispanic voters fretting.

Republican strategists have long worried that the hard-line stance taken by the likes

of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz toward Oba-ma’s immigration policies would cost the party the opportunity to secure the badly needed support of Hispanic voters in the general election.

In the 2012 election, Hispanic voters pre-ferred Obama over Republican nominee Mitt Romney by a massive margin, 71% to 27%, causing Republican leaders afterward to warn that if the party did not start broad-ening its appeal to that swiftly growing de-mographic, it would be on the losing end of presidential contests for years to come.

Democratic presidential candidates seemed eager on Tuesday to have the court rule on the case, contending that it provides an opportunity for the court to ratify the president’s action and end the debate over its legality. And they seemed mindful of the issue’s potency on the campaign trail.

“(Obama’s) action should be upheld so families can stay together and live without fear of deportation,” Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomina-tion, wrote on Twitter.

Her top rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of

Vermont, said he was “con� dent the presi-dent has the legal authority” for the order. Sanders called on Congress to move forward on immigration reform, but pledged that, as president, “he would uphold and expand the president’s action.”

Criticism of the 2014 executive order, and of the president’s use of his executive authority generally, has been standard fare among Republicans on the campaign trail.

Ted Cruz, Texas senator and a leading contender for the Republican nomination, said it was signi� cant that the justices will decide whether Obama violated the US Con-stitution’s requirement that presidents “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”

Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who co-sponsored bipartisan immigration leg-islation that passed the Senate in 2013 but died in the House of Representatives, has also been a longstanding critic of Obama’s use of executive power, said: “I’m con� dent (the Supreme Court) will agree Obama ex-ecutive orders are unconstitutional,” Rubio wrote on Twitter. “Regardless, as president, I will end them.” l

25D

TSportINSIDE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Shakib joins 400-wicket, 8000-run clubMaverick Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan added another feather to his cap when he became the sixth cricketer in history to bag the 400-wicket and 8000-run double during the third and penultimate Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe yesterday at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. PAGE 26

Australia win run-fest after India meltdownPaceman Kane Richardson claimed his maiden � ve-wicket haul to script India’s spectacular collapse and bowl Australia to a 25-run victory in the high-scoring fourth one day international yesterday. Three batsmen struck centuries in the 671-run match between the world’s top two one-day teams. PAGE 27

Djokovic denies 2007 � xing claim Novak Djokovic has denied an Italian media report he deliberately lost a match in 2007 that has been linked to a wider scandal involving alleged corruption in tennis. The 28-year-old world number one easily beat French teenager Quentin Halys yesterday. PAGE 28

Inter boss Mancini blasts ‘racist’ rival Furious Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini blasted Napoli counterpart Maurizio Sarri a “racist” and claimed his rival called him a “poof” following a � ery � nish to Inter’s 2-0 Italian Cup victory on Tuesday. Mancini and Sarri clashed on the touchline after Adem Ljajic killed o� the quarter-� nal tie. PAGE 29

ZIMBABWE R BH. Masakadza c Mosaddek b Shahid 20 14V. Sibanda c Sabbir b Shakib 44 33R. Mutumbami c Sabbir b Shakib 20 14S. Williams lbw b Hider 32 26M. Waller c Soumya b Shakib 49 23S. Raza c Sabbir b Hider 7 6P. Moor not out 10 4G. Cremer not out 0 0 Extras (lb2, w3) 5Total (for six wickets; 20 overs) 187

Fall of wickets1-45 (Masakadza), 2-80 (Mutumbami), 4-89 (Sibanda), 4-163 (Waller), 5-177 (Williams ), 6-186 ( Raza)BowlingHider 4-0-40-2, Shahid 3-0-32-1, Muktar 2-0-17-0, Mortaza 4-0-37-0, Shakib 4-0-32-3, Mosad-dek 2-0-10-0, Mahmudullah 1-0-17-0 (w3)BANGLADESH R BImrul Kayes b Chisoro 1 3Soumya Sarkar c Masakadza b Cremer 25 21Sabbir Rahman c Muzarabani b Raza 50 32Mosaddek Hossain b Raza 15 19Shakib Al Hasan c Waller b Cremer 3 10Mahmudullah c Mutumbami b Cremer 6 4Muktar Ali not out 19 15Nurul Hasan not out 30 17Extras (b1, lb 2 w3, nb1) 7Total (for six wickets; 20 overs) 156

Fall of wickets1-2 (Imrul), 2-69 (Soumya), 3-92 (Sabbir), 4-100 (Mosaddek), 5-102 (Shakib , 6-107 (Mahmudullah)BowlingChisoro 4-0-15-1, Vitori 4-0-45-0 (w1), Muzara-bani 3-0-41-0 (w1), Williams 3-0-27-0 (nb1), Cremer 4-0-18-3, Raza 2-0-7-2Result: Zimbabwe won by 31 runsSeries result: Bangladesh lead series 2-1

SCORECARD, 3RD T20I

Zimbabwe batsman Malcolm Waller � ays one over the cover region during their third T20I against Bangladesh at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Experimental Tigers miss chance to seal seriesn Mazhar Uddin

Malcom Waller, Vusi Sibanda and Graeme Cremer were the chief architects as Zimba-bwe beat an experimental Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third and penultimate Twenty20 international at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday.

Waller smashed a quick� re 23-ball 49 with the help of two fours and four sixes while Sibanda’s enterprising 33-ball 44 fea-tured half a dozen boundaries and a six as the visitors posted a challenging 187/6 from their allotted 20 overs in chilly conditions.

In reply, the Tigers managed 156/6 from their stipulated 20 overs with leg-spinner Cremer accounting for three crucial wickets conceding only 18 runs from his four overs. In the process, the Tigers failed to clinch the four-match series and will now have to wait for the � nal game tomorrow at the same venue.

In-form Sabbir Rahman blasted his sec-ond T20I � fty o� 32 balls, featuring nine fours, but the fall of regular wickets meant

the Tigers were barely in the hunt. Sabbir, along with Soumya Sarkar (25),

added 67 runs for the second wicket to give the home side a positive start to their chase but they lost their way thereafter in the face of some disciplined bowling by Cremer, Sikandar Raza (2/7) and Tendai Chisoro (1/15).

Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan further enhanced his reputation by scoring an unbeaten 30 o� just 17 deliveries while debutant Muktar Ali made an undefeated 15-ball 19 to go with his bowling � gure of 0/17 from two overs earlier in the innings.

The Bangladesh team management de-cided to � eld four debutants – Muktar, Mosaddek Hossain, Abu Haider Rony and Mohammad Shahid - yesterday. And while Muktar will be relatively happy with his international bow, the same cannot be said of Mosaddek who departed for a 19-ball 15. The youngster will be disappointed with his display as he was dismissed while trying to execute a reverse sweep only to be clean bowled.

Rony (2/40) and Shahid (1/32), on the oth-

er hand, might have shared three wickets between themselves but they were slightly on the expensive side, giving away 72 runs in seven overs.

Makeshift captain Hamilton Masakadza (20), deputising in place of regular skipper Elton Chigumbura, and Sibanda once again gave their side a � ying start by putting on 45 brisk runs inside � ve overs.

The Zimbabwean openers’ departure did not stop the momentum as Sean Williams (32), Richmond Mutumbami (20) and Waller continued to � ay the Tigers bowlers all over the park.

Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was the most successful bowler, picking up 3/32, and became just the sixth cricketer in histo-ry to join the 400-wicket and 8000-run club when he dismissed Mutumbami.

The other members of the club are for-mer Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya, former India skipper Kapil Dev, former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis. l

26DT Sport

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Shakib joins 400-wicket, 8000-run clubn Tribune Report

Maverick Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan added another feather to his cap when he became the sixth cricketer in history to bag the 400-wicket and 8000-run double during the third and penultimate Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe yesterday at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.

Shakib entered the 400-international wick-et club when he dismissed Richmond Mutum-bani. The 28-year old also picked up the wick-ets of Vusi Sibanda and Malcolm Waller.

The left-arm all-rounder has 147 wickets in Tests, 206 in ODIs and 49 in T20Is while with the willow, the southpaw has scored 2823 runs in Tests, 4398 in ODIs and 893 in T20Is.

The other members of the distinguished club are former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya, former India skipper Kapil Dev, former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and for-mer South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis. l

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who became the sixth cricketer in history to join the 400-wicket and 8000-run club, celebrates dismissing Zimbabwe batsman Richmond Mutumbami (not in picture) during the third T20I at Khulna’s Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

BFF decreases Arambagh KS � nen Tribune Report

Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday decreased the amount of � ne imposed on Arambagh Krira Sangha after the second-tier club apologised for the act of vandalism on the BFF House nearly a month ago.

The decision came through an executive committee meeting yesterday at the BFF House. Arambagh will now have to pay Tk1.5m instead of the previous amount of Tk3m.

Meanwhile, Arambagh edged Agrani Bank 1-0 in the 12th Bangladesh Championship League yesterday to move to second place in the points table. Palash scored the all-impor-tant goal in the 21st minute. Arambagh now have 20 points and are just a point away from table-toppers Uttar Baridhara.

The executive committee also con� rmed the date of the Annual General Meeting of the BFF. The AGM will be held on March 1 this year. Yesterday’s meeting, presided over by BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, decided to begin the Sher-e-Bangla National Football Championship in the � rst week of March.

The meeting also con� rmed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be present as chief guest during the grand � nale of the fourth Bangabandhu Gold Cup tomorrow. l

Experiment Gone Wrongn Tahrima Huq

When a team steps into the � eld with four debutants, no specialist spinners and just a handful of experienced campaigners, it is clear that the upcoming match is going to be disappointing. It is one thing to experiment with new team combinations and another thing entirely to take an opponent lightly.

The Tigers’ � rst loss of the year seemed to be on the cards since Zimbabwe posted their third highest T20I total of 187/6. Other than newcomer Mosaddek Hossain, who bowled two overs giving away 10 runs, the bowlers were all painfully expensive.

To make matters worse, Bangladesh’s � elding was far from satisfactory, with plen-ty of mis� elds, dropped catches and missed run-out chances for the visitors to capitalise on. Zimbabwe cruised through the innings with their run-rate hovering around 10 runs per over throughout. Other than Shakib al Hasan’s 400th international wicket and BPL star Abu Haider Rony’s � rst, there were very few moments worth celebrating for Bangla-desh. Mohammad Shahid also earned him-self his � rst T20I wicket.

The chase started with Imrul Kayes be-ing cleaned up by Tendai Chisoro, leaving Bangladesh at 2-1. While Soumya Sarkar and

Sabbir Rahman’s half-century stand raised brief hopes, it was not enough as the for-mer’s dismissal in the eighth over initiated the much-dreaded collapse. Although expecta-tions were pegged on senior players like Shakib and Mahmudullah, neither impressed, man-aging only single-digit scores each. This left debutant Muktar Ali and inexperienced Nurul Hasan to try in vain to clean up the mess.

Ultimately, the Tigers succumbed to a 31-run defeat due to easily avoidable reasons. With

Mush� qur Rahim ruled out by a right ham-string injury and Tamim Iqbal and Musta� zur Rahman rested, the team was already lacking reliable, experienced players to begin with.

Whether it was because this match was not taken as seriously as the � rst two or because of sheer complacency, the Tigers had a lot of chinks in their armour. For a team like Bangla-desh which thrives on momentum, every match counts. Here’s hoping for another series win in tomorrow’s � nal match to start o� 2016! l

400 WICKETS AND 8000 RUNS CLUB

KAPIL DEV CHRIS CAIRNS SANATH JAYASURIYA JACQUES KALLIS SHAHID AFRIDI SHAKIB AL HASAN (India, 1978-1994) (New Zealand, 1989-2006) (Sri Lanka, 1989-2011) (South Africa, 1995-2014) (Pakistan, 1996-present) (Bangladesh, 2006-present)

TEST 5248 runs, 434 wickets 3320 runs, 218 wickets 6973 runs, 98 wickets 13289 runs, 292 wickets 1716 runs, 48 wickets 2823 runs, 147 wickets

ODI 3783 runs, 253 wickets 4950 runs, 201 wickets 13430 runs, 323 wickets 11579 runs, 273 wickets 8064 runs, 395 wickets 4398 runs, 206 wickets

T20I DNP DNP 629 runs, 19 wickets 666 runs, 12 wickets 1305 runs, 90 wickets 893 runs, 49 wickets

(L-R) Bangladesh debutants Mosaddek Hossain, Muktar Ali, Abu Haider Rony and Mohammad Shahid pose for a snap before the start of the third T20I against Zimbabwe in Khulna yesterday MI MANIK

Sport 27D

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Bale set for three weeks out with calf injuryReal Madrid’s Welsh winger Gareth Bale has su� ered a calf injury, the club con� rmed on Tuesday, which could rule him out for three weeks. Bale limped o� with what looked like the recurrence of the calf problem which has plagued him over the past two years, after scoring his 11th goal in eight games during Real’s 5-1 rout of Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

–AFP

Former England star Cole released by RomaEngland’s most capped full-back Ashley Cole has been released by Roma, the Italian Serie A club said on Tuesday. The 35-year-old former Arsenal and Chelsea star only joined the Italians 18 months ago. He made just 16 ap-pearances across all competitions last season and had not featured a single time on a match sheet during the current campaign.

–AFP

Juventus sign youngster Mandragora from GenoaJuventus have signed mid� elder Rolando Mandragora from Genoa for 6 million euros ($6.5 million), the Italian champions said on their website on Tuesday (www.juventus.com). The 18-year-old, who has signed a � ve-year contract with Juventus, will stay on loan for the rest of the season with Del� no Pescara 1936. Mandragora, one of the brightest young prospects in Italian soccer, has made 16 ap-pearances in Serie B for Pescara.

–AGENCIES

Naismith joins Norwich from EvertonNorwich City on Tuesday announced the sign-ing of Scottish international forward Steven Naismith from Premier League rivals Everton on a three-and-a-half-year contract. The fee for the 29-year-old has not been disclosed, but he is reported to have cost Norwich £8.5 million ($12.1 million, 11 million euros).

–AFP

Sampaoli quits as Chile coach: FederationJorge Sampaoli has quit as coach of Chile six months after winning the Copa America, the Chile football federation con� rmed on Tues-day. Con� rmation the Argentine had stood down as boss of La Roja came � ve days after the federation announced that talks over his future had broken down.

–AFP

Watford sign Pantilimon from SunderlandRomania goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon has joined Watford from Premier League rivals Sunderland, it was announced on Tuesday. Pantilimon, who was previously with English top-� ight giants Manchester City, has signed a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee, according to a statement on Watford’s website.

–AFP

QUICK BYTESAUSTRALIA R BD. Warner b I. Sharma 93 92A. Finch c I. Sharma b Yadav 107 107M. Marsh c Kohli b Yadav 33 42S. Smith c Singh b I. Sharma 51 29G. Maxwell c sub (Pandey) b I. Sharma 41 20G. Bailey c R. Sharma b I. Sharma 10 7J. Faulkner b Yadav 0 1M. Wade run out 0 2J. Hastings not out 0 0Extras (lb7 w6) 13Total (8 wickets, 50 overs) 348

BowlingYadav 10-1-67-3 (2w), Kumar 8-0-69-0, I. Shar-ma 10-0-77-4 (2w), Singh 3-0-24-0, R. Dhawan 9-0-53-0 (1w), Jadeja 10-0-51-0 (1w)INDIA R BR. Sharma c Wade b Richardson 41 25S. Dhawan c Bailey b Hastings 126 113V. Kohli c Smith b Richardson 106 92M.S. Dhoni c Wade b Hastings 0 3G. Singh c sub (S. Marsh) b Lyon 5 6R. Jadeja not out 24 27A. Rahane c Smith b Richardson 2 3R. Dhawan c Warner b Richardson 9 8B. Kumar c Smith b Richardson 2 6U. Yadav c Bailey b Marsh 2 11I. Sharma c Wade b Marsh 0 3Extras (w5 nb1) 6Total (10 wickets, 49.2 overs) 323

BowlingLyon 10-0-76-1, Richardson 10-1-68-5, Hastings 10-0-50-2 (1w 1nb), Faulkner 7-0-48-0 (1w), Marsh 9.2-0-55-2 (2w), Maxwell 1-0-10-0 (1w), Smith 2-0-16-0

Result: Australia won by 25 runsMan of the match: Kane Richardson (AUS)Series: Australia lead 4-0

SCORECARD, 4TH ODI

Australia’s Shaun Marsh (L) runs in to join the celebrating Kane Richardson during the fourth one-day international at Manuka Oval yesterday INTERNET

Australia win run-fest after India meltdownn Reuters

Paceman Kane Richardson claimed his maid-en � ve-wicket haul to script India’s spectac-ular collapse and bowl Australia to a 25-run victory in the high-scoring fourth one day international yesterday.

Three batsmen struck centuries in the 671-run match between the world’s top two one-day teams but it was Richardson’s (5-68) incisive bowling that clinched the contest, while also earning him the man-of-the-match award.

Chasing 349 for victory, India were cruis-ing at 277 for one before losing their last nine

wickets for 46 runs to succumb to their fourth successive defeat in the � ve-match series.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (126) and Virat Kohli (106) featured in a 212-run stand for the visitors before the wheels came o� India’s chase at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.

Dhawan registered his ninth ODI centu-ry and Kohli scored his second consecutive hundred but India lost three wickets in 11 balls for the addition of one run that derailed them.

For them, in-form Ajinkya Rahane came out to bat despite a split webbing of his � n-gers, but could score only two as India were all out for 323 in the � nal over.

Earlier, Aaron Finch struck his seventh hundred in a blistering opening partnership of 187 with David Warner to power Australia to 348 for eight wickets.

Finch smashed a run-a-ball 107 while Warn-er fell on 93 from 92 deliveries as the hosts con-tinued to make merry against India’s toothless bowling attack after opting to bat � rst.

Australia had chased down each Indian target to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the � ve-match series and the tourists’ battered bowlers did little better after � nally getting the chance to bowl � rst.

Sydney hosts the � fth and � nal one-dayer on Saturday. l

Gayle hits back at criticsn AFP, Sydney

Controversial West Indian batsman Chris Gayle has hit back at critics of his alleged-ly sexist behaviour, telling them to kiss his “Black Rass”.

His Twenty20 team Melbourne Renegades � ned the star opener US$7,000 two weeks ago after an attempt to � irt with a female pre-senter on live TV was condemned as “com-pletely out of line” by Cricket Australia.

Gayle told the Renegades’ website after his � nal game that he would like to return for next season’s Big Bash League, where he has been one of the top scorers.

“De� nitely - always got a soft spot for Australia,” he said.

“And the fans here have been very sup-portive. They have been really, really tre-mendous.

“Hopefully I get a chance to entertain you guys again.”

However, he also unleashed a rant against “haters” on Instagram late Tuesday amid questions over whether has played his last innings in Australia.

“I think a lot of past and present cricket-ers who smile in front my face could’ve have there (sic) say In the public when my so call issue was going on, but y’all don’t have the BALLs to stand � rm when it matters,” the post said. “But yet when u see me you’re like, Chris that’s BS against you, it was blown out of proportion.l

28DT Sport

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Djokovic denies report that 2007 loss to Santoro was � xedn Reuters, Melbourne

Novak Djokovic has denied an Italian media report he deliberately lost a match in 2007 that has been linked to a wider scandal in-volving alleged corruption in tennis.

The 28-year-old world number one, who easily beat French teenager Quentin Halys yesterday to advance to the Australian Open third round, was asked about a report in Italian newspaper Tuttosport that he had deliberately lost to now-retired French player Fabrice Santoro at the Paris Masters.

“It’s not true,” the Serb said with a shrug and shake of his head. “What it is to say? I’ve lost that match.

“Anybody can create a story about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds, I think it’s just absurd.”

“You can pick any match that you like that the top player lost and just create a story out of it.”

Tennis’s authorities on Monday issued a joint statement rejecting the allegations.l

Djokovic, Williams storm through in Melbournen AFP, Melbourne

Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams stormed into the Australian Open third round yesterday as tennis authorities came under � re over their e� orts to � ght match-� xing.

Djokovic had a third-set tussle with French teenager Quentin Halys before winning their night match 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), joining Wil-liams and Roger Federer in the next stage.

Williams eased lingering concerns over the state of her injured knee as she obliterated the Taiwanese, even pulling o� possibly her � rst ever round-the-net shot for good measure.

“It’s always cool to do something fresh and new. I don’t know if I have done that,” said the American world number one, who showed no signs discomfort from her knee.

“I moved much better, so slowly but sure-ly feeling a little bit better,” she added.

Federer, who is trying to extend his record number of Grand Slam crowns to 18, then dismantled his 35th-ranked practice partner Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-5, 6-1.

The all-time Grand Slam king came un-stuck in the third round last year, when he was shocked by Andreas Seppi, and he is wary of another upset with Grigor “Baby Fed” Dimitrov up next.

“It’s the least I expect to be in the third round of a Slam, obviously, so I’m pumped up, playing well, feeling good,” Federer said.

“But there’s always a danger, you know. Like last year the third round was the end for me, so I hope to go further this time.”

Later Djokovic was no match for Halys, 19, who had a net cord to thank as he broke the Serb in the third set, which went to a tie-break.

Separately a senior anti-corruption o� -cial told AFP that match-� xing was common-place in tennis’s lower levels and criticised the “opaque and secretive” Tennis Integrity Unit, which is tasked with � nding cheats.

Chris Eaton, director of integrity at the In-ternational Centre for Sport Security in Doha, was speaking after a report claimed several players suspected of being serial match-� x-ers had never been punished. l

France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (L) escorts an unwell ball girl from the court whom he hit during his men’s singles match against Australia’s Omar Jasika on day three of the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Sharapova armed and dangerousn Reuters, Melbourne

Maria Sharapova declared herself free from the worry of a forearm injury after charging into the Australian Open third round yesterday.

The � fth seeded Russian had to pull out of the leadup Bris-bane International with a sore left forearm but was in full � ight in a 6-2 6-1 rout of unseeded Belarusian Aliaksandra Sas-novich, the early match at the Rod Laver Arena.

“Yeah, I feel pretty good. I felt I was more con� dent with my left hand today,” Sharapova, runnerup last year to Serena Williams, told reporters.

“That’s always something that - especially when it’s like in the hand-wrist area - it’s in the back of your mind even though you’re feeling it.

“I felt really good and con� dent today about it.”Long a baseline blaster rather than an all-court player with

a delicate touch, the � ve-times grand slam champion had enough comfort against Sasnovich to launch a few drop-shots from the baseline, with mixed results. Sharapova said she had been working on mixing up her game, which some pundits have seen as too one-dimensional to beat top seed Williams, who has long dominated the Russian.

“When I’m aggressive and I have depth on my shots, it’s just good to have that variety to bring (players) in, to move forward myself,” said Sharapova, who next faces American Lauren Davis.

“I mean, I had a couple of good (drop-shots), I had a couple of really crappy ones. I’d say it was pretty mediocre [Wednesday].” l

Sport 29D

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

DAY’S WATCHCRICKET

STAR SPORTS 111:30AM

Rebel Women’s Big Bash League Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers

2:20PMKFC T20 Big Bash League

Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder

HOCKEY STAR SPORTS 2

6:10PMHockey India League

Kalinga Lancers v Dabang Mumbai

Angers’ French forward Gilles Sunu kicks the ball during the French Cup match against Bordeaux on Tuesday in Jean Bouin Stadium in Angers AFP

Ibrahimovic keeps PSG on treble trackn AFP, Paris

A late and controversial penalty converted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic sealed a 2-1 come from behind win as Paris Saint-Germain edged past Toulouse in the French Cup on Tuesday.

Francois Moubandje had given Toulouse an 11th minute lead over a PSG missing sev-eral injured stars, but a David Luiz header from a corner on 54minutes and Ibrahimov-ic’s 21st goal of the season two minutes from time kept Paris on course to defend their do-mestic treble.

But the big Swede’s penalty was highly controversial as Leyvin Kurzawa threw him-self theatrically to the ground in the box un-der minimal contact.

However, Ibrahimovic was emphatic with his spot-kick and Toulouse’s hopes were dashed. PSG also won 1-0 at Toulouse thanks to an Ibrahimovic strike on Saturday to take a 21-point lead in Ligue 1 over second-placed Monaco. And Toulouse must travel to Par-is for yet another meeting with PSG in the League Cup semi-� nals next week.

PSG are now set to embark on a run of eight matches in little over three weeks before hosting Chelsea in the � rst leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on February 16. l

Klopp asserts Liverpool transfer controln AFP, London

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insist-ed he is charge of transfer policy at An� eld after sacked predecessor Brendan Rodgers revealed players were forced upon him.

Last weekend, Rogers gave an interview in which he said Mario Balotelli, now on loan at AC Milan after a poor debut season on Mer-seyside, was an example of a signing over whom he had no control.

Liverpool’s transfer committee, com-prising the manager, representatives of the scouting department and senior manage-ment sta� , has been widely criticised after several poor signings.

But Klopp was adamant he had the last word on signings, although he accepted there were limits to his authority.

“If I say, for example, we take Zlatan Ibra-himovic, who is 35, and we would have to

pay £100 million ($142 million, 130 million euros) then maybe I should ask before I sign him,” Klopp said Tuesday.

“But it is as it is when I said on the � rst day I came here; it is like I used to work.

“Sometimes my sta� and myself have an idea with a player we know or heard about and we collect some informationabout this.

“If I don’t want the player to come here he will not come and if the player I want does not � t our budget then he will not come too. That is absolutely normal.”

Klopp has, however, shown faith in his existing squad by giving goalkeeper Simon Mignolet a new long-term contract.

The Belgium international has come un-der � re for some high-pro� le mistakes this season, but Klopp has insisted he has full con� dence in his keeper.

“We would not have o� ered him a con-

tract if we had the same thinking (as his crit-ics) - a lot of people who speak about this sit-uation always talk about new goalkeepers,” said Klopp.

“But when I came here I heard nothing negative about Simon with all the people I spoke to. There was nothing to criticise,” the German added.

“There have been a lot of games since I have been here and he has been involved in one or the other goal we have conceded - as is normal with goalkeepers - but we thought about the package and Simon Mignolet is perfect.

“He is a smart guy, young enough to de-velop in the things he has to develop and he gives the whole team a good feeling when he is in the starting line-up.

“The result was we were sure we wanted to work with him for the next few years. We are satis� ed with this position.” l

Mancini blasts ‘racist’ rival n AFP, Rome

Furious Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini blasted Napoli counterpart Maurizio Sarri a “racist” and claimed his rival called him a “poof” following a � ery � nish to Inter’s 2-0 Italian Cup victory on Tuesday.

Mancini and Sarri clashed on the touch-line after Adem Ljajic killed o� the quarter-� -nal tie at the San Paolo stadium in Naples in injury time to add to Stevan Jovetic’s opener.

“Maurizio Sarri is a racist and men like him have no place in football,” fumed Manci-ni to RAI TV after the game.

“He used racist words. He started insulting me and then shouted at me, calling

me a poof.”Mancini said Sarri had used the words

“frocio” and “� nocchio”, both pejorative terms meaning homosexual.

The Inter coach added: “But if he’s a man then I’d be proud to be a poof. From some-one like him, who’s 60, I can’t accept that, he should be ashamed.

“You have the right to argue, but not like that. I went to see him in the changing rooms and he apologised.

“But I told him that in England, he wouldn’t be allowed to set foot on a pitch again.”

Sarre brushed o� the exchange as part and parcel of the game.l

Showtime30DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

nShowtime Desk

Actors Parambrata Chatterjee from Kolkata and Aparna Ghosh from Bangladesh have been cast opposite each other in the � lm, Bhuban Majhi, based on the Liberation War of 1971.

The mohorot of the second feature � lm by national award-winning � lm-maker Fakhrul Arefeen Khan was held on Tuesday.

Parambrata came to Dhaka to join the cast and crew of the � lm and several prominent personalities at the event.

He plays the role of Nahir Baul, a spiritual singer. Singers are usually not the type of people cut out for wars, but Nahir is inspired to join the struggle for independence by a young lady, Farida, played by Aparna Ghosh.

This is Parambrata’s second � lm in Bangladesh, the � rst being Bhoyonkor Shundor.

“I got to know about the liberation war of Bangladesh from my family and after doing some research for the for my role. I feel proud to be a part of a � lm, to show the glorious birth of Bangladesh,” Parambrata, said.

Fakhrul said the shooting will start from February 3. Some of it will be shot in India as well. Kalikaprasad is in charge of composing the songs for the � lm.

Mamunur Rashid, Shushama Sarker, Naushaba, Majnun Mijan, and singer Syed

Waqeel Ahad are also part of the cast. Cultural a� airs minister Asaduzzaman Noor and president of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Nasiruddin, Yusuf Bacchu launched the � rst look of Bhuban Majhi. l

Parambrata and Aparna to shoot for ‘Bhuban Majhi’

nShowtime Desk

Only two months into its journey, Deepto TV, a private television channel which emphasises more on entertainment programmes, has earned the top spot -- in terms of ratings -- according to Television Rating Point (TRP).

The rating indicates that the channel stood in the second position during the last week of December, 2015 reaching the top spot in the � rst week of January 2016. From January 2-8, the channel was head and shoulders above any other in attracting viewers -- with the brunt of the credit going to the channel’s most popular show, Sultan Suleyman.

Originally a Turkish television show titled “The Magni� cent Century in English,” Sultan Suleyman is a historical � ction series based on the life of Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magni� cent, the longest reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and his wife Hurrem Sultan, a slave girl who became Sultana.

Deepto TV has dubbed the show in Bangla in order for it to reach a wider audience. The show has been aired in more than 60 countries worldwide.

In comparison to Sultan Suleyman, the channel’s own productions such as Aparajita, Palki, and Khujey Phiri Takey have earned moderate success. l

nShowtime Desk

Khona Talkies, the production house behind the � lm Under Construction arranged a special screening of the � lm at Basundhara City’s Star Cineplex Tuesday evening, with the � lm’s cast and crew attending as well. Prior to the � lm’s screening, Khona Talkies introduced everyone involved with the production to the audience.

Rubaiyat Hossain’s second feature stars Bollywood actor Shahana Goswami, who plays a thirty-something stage actress in an unhappy in marriage -- a character whose life is explored against the very real backdrop of Bangladesh’s dire social state, with themes such as exploited factory workers and boiling-over Islamic fundamentalism.

Rahul Bose, the � lm’s other star-attraction, plays the part of an art curator living in Europe, eager to stage an adaptation of Tagore’s The Red Oleanders, a brainchild of Roya (Goswami). The � lm’s supporting cast includes Mita Rahman, Rikita Shimu, Shahdat hossain, and Tou� qul Islam.

Under Construction is set to hit cinemas this Friday across four di� erent cinemas in Dhaka, including Star Cineplex, Blockbuster Cinemas, Shyamoli, and Balaka Cinema Hall. Khona Talkies intends to organise several

screenings of the � lm across the country.The � lm was screened as the festival

opener at the 14th edition of Dhaka International Film Festival on January 14, marking its home premiere, and later at a special screening for an exclusively female audience.

The � lm had its world premiere screening on last June in the Seattle International Film Festival, following which it was screened in more than 20 international � lm festivals, including the Montreal World Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival, Sao Paolo International Film Festival, Bogota Film Festival, and Stockholm Film Festival. The � lm has already won the Golden Durian Award in the category of Best Film at the Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival in the Philippines. l

Deepto TV on top A � lm Under Construction

Showtime 31D

TTHURSDAY , JANUARY 21, 2016

Mad Thetar to stage Humayun Ahmed’s ‘Naddiu Natim’

O boy Mandana!

n Showtime Desk

A new theatre troupe named Mad Thetar (yes, you read right) comprising of playwright Asadul Islam, his wife Sonia Hassan and their daughter Arya Meghdut recently began its journey in performance art.

Mad Thetar is set to stage its � rst production Naddiu Natim, a play based on literary great Humayun Ahmed’s novel Ke Kotha Koy.

Asadul Islam has directed the play with the assistance of Anisul Haque Barun while Foyez Zahir has designed the set and lighting with Sonia Hasan in charge of costumes. The score is composed by Arya Meghdut. The play will be staged on Saturday, January

23 at 6:30pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The play, Naddiu Natim was inaugurated on October 30, last year.

The storyline of Naddiu Natim revolves around a man named Matin who thinks of himself as a poet. Gradually, he turns himself into Naddiu Natim, an eccentric poet who is in love with his classmate Nishu. However, due to � nancial constraints, Matin calls o� his urge to write, temporarily, and takes up a well-paid job as a private tutor for an intellectually challenged child named Komol. The child shares a secret with Matin which brings him to a point where he has to make a serious choice between life and death.

Tickets for the play are available online at ticketchai.com. l

nShowtime Desk

The stars of High School Musical are reuniting for the 10 year anniversary tribute to the TV movie.

Actors Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman shared memories of the movie while it aired at 8pm EST, yesterday, on the Disney Channel.

Zac Efron, who played Troy opposite Hudgens’ Gabriella, could not attend the pre-taped group reunion because it con� icted with the promotion schedule of his new movie. However, he did record separate remarks that was included in the broadcast.

“Seeing the cast of High School Musical back together again rea� rms what made it special 10 years ago,” Gary Marsh, Disney Channel Worldwide president and chief creative o� cer, said in a release.

The original High School Musical was � rst aired on January 20, 2006 to a whopping 7.7 million viewers in the US, earning Disney Channel’s then highest ratings of all time. The original soundtrack became the no 1 album of 2006, and the story of Troy, Gabriella, and Wildcats went on to be made into two additional movies as well as multiple concert tours.

The cast took to Twitter on Saturday to share their excitement over the reunion. “Oh the feels,” Tisdale tweeted. “Get ready because we’re back celebrating the 10th anniversary.”l

Source: Entertainment Weekly

‘High School Musical’ stars reunite for 10th anniversaryn Showtime Desk

Bi� Boss 9 housemate Mandana Karimi has now become one of the strongest performers in the show. Viewers initially assumed that Mandana would simply be the token “attractive addition” to the show, given her looks and exotic qualities. But the “O Boy” girl has made her mark as a true contender, climbing the ranks, becoming one of the top � ve contestants. Despite not being versed in Hindi and her apparent unpopularity in the house, Mandana did not sway when faced with adversity.

Viewers have doubted whether Salman is favouring her or if, perhaps, the network might as well be. In spite of all the speculation, no one can claim that she is an under-performer.

Mandana is one of the most talked about contestants in the show, mostly because of her upcoming movie Kya Kool Hai Hum 3. Regrettably, since she’s been missing in the � lm’s promotional events, Mandana has been slapped with a lawsuit by Ekta Kapoor -- the � lm’s producer -- for not leaving the house as was outlined in her contract. Curiously, Mandana has been given one week in deciding over her priorities.

As if this wasn’t enough, Mandana has also been making headlines for her personal life.

In a recent episode, Bigg Boss even gave Mandana a chance to speak to her boyfriend -- a call that got her really emotional and clearly showed how seriously they took their relationship.

However, there have been murmurs regarding Mandana’s boyfriend being a no-show during the � nale. apparently, her boyfriend’s mother feels that showing up in the � nale would be too much of a publicity stunt for him. Talk about parental control!

Further speculations about her relationship, apparently, certain sources claim that she was once secretly married to famous model Lalit Tehlan (Kumar). Her marital status has long been a matter of close speculation, with all the rumour mill going abuzz after a marriage certi� cate had leaked on the Internet.

But, at the end of the day, is it really any of our business? ... YES! After all, despite the rumours and the endless speculation, Mandana Karimi is still in the top three, with chances of her making it to the winning seat not too far.l

Back Page32DT

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

PARAMBRATA AND APARNA TO SHOOT FOR ‘BHUBAN MAJHI’ PAGE 30

ITC SHARES ZOOM PAGE 15

SHAKIB JOINS 400-WICKET, 8000-RUN CLUB PAGE 26

Getting ready for the inevitableRead the sixth instalment of a series of Dhaka Tribune reports on earthquake preparednessn Aminur Rahman Rasel and

Shohel Mamun

After the latest Monipur earthquake shook the country to its core, authorities concerned have revived their focus on the measures nec-essary to minimise casualties and damages when a major tremor jolts Bangladesh again.

With little awareness available at the mo-ment, one of the government’s main objec-tives would be training more people to deal with earthquakes and their aftermath.

But another life-saving measure on the pipeline right now is the plan to cut o� gas and power connections during earthquakes.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief is set to issue a demi-o� cial (DO) letter to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, asking it to introduce a provision for automatically cutting o� all electricity and gas connections during an earthquake of a certain magnitude.

Sources said such a project would cost nearly $1 million.

GM Abdul Quader, deputy secretary of Disaster Management Ministry, told the Dha-ka Tribune that in a recent meeting, the min-istry decided to issue that letter as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Based on a decision at the meeting, Minis-try of Housing and Public Works, Power Divi-sion, and Energy Division will soon conduct an inter-ministerial meeting about the im-plementation of Building Code and creating

auto-shutdown provision.The deputy secretary added that during

earthquake, if the electricity and the gas lines are not cut o� , then there are increased chances of � re and building collapse. That is why – similar to many developed countries – a provision will be made to automatically cut o� utility lines, he said.

Lifeline engineeringMehedi Ahmed Ansary, professor at Buet’s department of civil engineering, said many countries in the world have the provision of shutting down all utilities during an earth-quake.

“This provision is called lifeline engineer-ing. With it, utilities like gas, water, electrici-ty, telecom even transportation networks au-tomatically shut down when an earthquake is detected”, said Ansary who also acts as the director of Bangladesh Network O� ce of Ur-ban Safety at Bangladesh University of Engi-neering and Technology (Buet).

Ansary said Japan � rst started lifeline en-gineering in the ‘80s. It does not take large scale projects to start this provision, he said, adding that Buet had asked Titas Gas author-ities to introduce such a provision long ago, but they ignored the request at the time.

“Recently, a large earthquake took place [in India’s Monipur]. So now the government has started to take the issue seriously,” Ansa-ry said.

Asked about what needs to be done to

have the shutdown system in place, the professor said � ve or six sensors need to be placed at 100 metres deep outside the 350 square-kilometres periphery of Dhaka.

“The deeper we can place the sensors; the better will be the reading of earthquake motion. We also need to establish the central station in Dhaka which will control the sen-sors placed outside the periphery”, he said.

Two separate projects should be taken for electricity and gas connections, Ansary said, adding: “We need to establish similar pro-jects in Chittagong and Sylhet as well.”

Although the Buet professor welcomed the move to introduce auto-shutdown, he also pointed out that the government is yet to identify the 72,000 buildings in Dhaka which it previously said were highly vulner-able to earthquake. “This re� ects the lack of honest intention from the government.”

Tremor trainingDi� erent agencies of the government, mean-while, continue e� orts to build up aware-ness, with over 26,000 civilian volunteers trained so far across the country on how to deal with an earthquake.

The training sessions are facilitated by the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP), a wing of Disaster Man-agement Ministry, which also runs drills to prepare the people for a trembler.

“Over the last few years, we trained over 20,000 civilians as urban community vol-

unteers in city corporation areas and a fur-ther 6,465 people in rural regions. We are now working to achieve the goal of training 100,000 people,” said CDMP’s National Pro-ject Director Abdul Quyyum.

“We have declared 10 model � re stations in Dhaka that have highly specialised search and rescue equipment. The volunteers will work under these stations during earthquakes.

“We also trained 430 secondary and 1,500 primary school teachers on earthquake safe-ty,” the CDMP chief said.

Central coordinationThe government is also working on the mam-moth task of setting up a National Emer-gency Operation Centre (NEOC) that would centrally coordinate, manage rescue opera-tion, and monitor and direct the activities of stakeholders during the time of any disaster.

The initiative was � rst taken by the prime minister following the devastating Nepal earthquake in April last year.

“We are working to set up the NEOC... But it is a tough task because all ministries and departments will have to work together. We have met several times to � x the duties of each department,” said Mirza Ali Ashraf, sen-ior assistant secretary of Disaster Manage-ment Ministry.

The NEOC will be housed in a well-equipped spring-based building capable of sustaining an earthquake of maximum 10 Richter scale. l

Even though a walkway was built to resist grabbers, some brick and sand traders recently encroached upon a part of Buriganga river SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Probe team starts work on 195 Pakistani POWsn Tribune Report

The investigation agency of the Internation-al Crimes Tribunal has formed an informal committee to gather information about the 195 Pakistani prisoners of war (POWs).

The � ve-member body formed on Monday will collect information, and related books and documents on the atrocities committed by the Pakistani soldiers during the Libera-tion War of Bangladesh in 1971.

The committee is headed by Deputy Direc-tor of investigation agency Matiur Rahman.

Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Khan yesterday told reporters that the committee members would gather primary information. They would not run a formal probe.

The 195 senior o� cers of the Pakistani Army, who were prisoners of war in 1971, were repatriated under the tripartite Simla Agreement of 1974 signed among Bangla-desh, India and Pakistan.

In that agreement, Pakistan assured trial of the 195 o� cials, who had committed crimes against humanity, but it never happened. l

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