SECOND EDITION

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | Agrahayan 26, 1422, Safar 27, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 234 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

Bangladesh ranks 24th in capital � ightn Kayes Sohel

Bangladesh ranks 26th in terms of illicit � -nancial out� ows, which mainly stem from tax evasion, crime and corruption, with a whopping $5.6bn siphoned out of every year during 2004-2013, said US-based think-tank’s report said yesterday.

This is around 15% of the country’s na-tional budget and almost 3% of the gross do-mestic product.

According to the report titled “Illicit Fi-nancial Flows from Developing Countries: 2004-2013,” a record $1.1tn � owed illicitly out of developing and emerging economies in 2013.

“Political uncertainty, corruption and weak internal investment climate are the main reasons behind the high illicit out� ow,” World Bank lead economist Zahid Hussain told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The bottom reason is corruption. Unless corruption is curbed, illicit � nancial � ow will continue,” he said.

In the previous year’s report, Bangladesh ranked 47th among 150 developing countries.

“I think this year Bangladesh’s rank went 21 notches up because of some changes brought in estimating illicit � nancial � ow. However, the new method has better re� ec-

tion in ill-gotten money than in the past,” said Hussain.

“If you look at 2010 and 2013, siphoning increased by around 80% when there was political instability in the country.”

In all, during the 2004-2014 decade, more than $56bn went out of Bangladesh, esti-mates Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the US think tank.

PAGE 4 COLUMN 1

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | Agrahayan 26, 1422, Safar 27, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 234 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

RISKY PLASTIC BAGS FLOOD MARKET PAGE 32

FULL COVERAGE OF PARIS COP21 PAGE 5

TRUMP FACES GLOBAL SCORN OVER CALL FOR MUSLIM BAN PAGE 21

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2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

3.3474.262

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5.921

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9.666ILLICIT FINANCIAL OUTFLOWS FROM BANGLADESH (USD BN)

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Annual average money transfer throughmisinvoicing hits $50bn and hot money $6.8bn

Culture of impunity behind persistent disappearancesn Kamrul Hasan

Human rights groups and activists have con-demned the rise in forced disappearances al-legedly by law enforcers despite pledges by the government to bring the number to zero.

Campaigners and families blame govern-ment’s reluctance for repeated incidents of disappearance. They think the number could be reduced if the government had taken legal action against the culprits. They are also wor-ried that the criminal code does not have pro-vision to try law enforcers for disappearances.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), there have been at least 44 disappearanc-es every year since 2007; the highest 88 re-ported last year. Victims' families allege that they were picked up by law enforcers. This-year, 48 people disappeared until November.

Families said mistrust and fear and a “cul-ture of impunity” barred them from seeking justice. They do not dare going to courts, rights activists allege; when families make a move, law enforcers do not cooperate.

ASK says that a total of 21 people were abducted during 2007-2009; only three were PAGE 4 COLUMN 4

Negotiationsstep intodramatic phasen Meer Saiful Islam, from Paris

The climate negotiations over an agreement in Paris took a dramatic turn late yesterday as it stepped into the overnight phase, with the French presidency asking parties to give feedback on a cleaner text released in the af-ternoon.

Laurent Fabius also asked for preparation to have talks overnight until today as three crosscutting issues remain to be solved and reach a consensus on the issues by today.

At the start of second week’s negotiation on Monday, he expected that the � nal draft would be ready by today, before going for translation in six UN o� cial languages to make them ready for adoption on Friday.

“I’ll ask you to speed up the consultations in next few hours ... still lots of work needs to be done,” he told the parties yesterday after-noon, while releasing a fresh draft agreement.

The draft was scheduled to be released at 1pm, but came out two hours later with a shorter version of 29 pages from the exist-ing 43 pages, which o� cial negotiators had prepared for this week’s negotiation by the heads of delegation.

PAGE 4 COLUMN 2

Adaptation-mitigation balance will be voluntaryn Abu Bakar Siddique from Paris

The vulnerable countries’ de-mand for balancing climate � -nance between adaptation and mitigation has eventually not been resolved in the draft agree-ment of the ongoing Paris cli-mate talks.

The latest draft, which came out yester-day evening, said that balancing the � nance will not be done “legally;” rather it would be “voluntary.”

The draft text reads that the provision for scaled-up � nancial resources “should’’ aim to achieve a balance between adaptation and mitigation, taking into account country-driv-en strategies and the priorities and needs of the developing countries.

Parties, especially those that are particu-larly vulnerable to the adverse e� ects of cli-mate change, including LDCs, SIDS, and Af-rica, are considering the need for public and grant-based resources for adaptation.

PAGE 4 COLUMN 2Greenpeace activists demonstrate in front of their giant polar bear, Aurora, at the ongoing World Climate Change Conference in Le Bourget, near Paris yesterday REUTERS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015News4DT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Bangladesh ranksIn South Asia, Bangladesh ranks 2nd, af-ter 4th India ($51bn), 53rd Sri Lanka ($2bn), 86th Nepal ($567m), 109th Pakistan ($192m) and 132nd Bhutan ($40m). China tops the list with $139bn, followed by Russia ($104bn) and Mexico ($52.8bn).

Illicit � nancial out� ows are measured using two sources – deliberate trade mis-invoicing and leakage balance of payment or hot money.

During the period, Bangladesh’s annual av-erage money transfer through mis-invoicing hit about $50bn; through hot money, average annual transfer was $6.8bn, says the report.

The study shows that illicit � nancial � ows � rst surpassed $1tn in 2011 and have grown to $1.1tn in 2013, marking a dramatic increase from 2004, when illicit out� ows totalled just $465.3bn.

Asia has the fastest growth rate in illicit � -nancial � ows from 2004 to 2003, registering an average annual increase of 8.6% over the period.

“This study clearly demonstrates that il-licit � nancial � ows are the most damaging economic problem faced by the world’s de-veloping and emerging economies,” said GFI President Raymond Baker, a longtime au-thority on � nancial crime.

“This year at the UN, the mantra of ‘tril-lions not billions’ was continuously used to indicate the amount of funds needed to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. Signi� cantly curtailing illicit � ows is central to that e� ort,” he said.

Noting that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call on countries to signi� cant-ly reduce illicit � nancial � ows by 2030, the report said the international community has not yet agreed on goal indicators, the tech-nical measurements to provide baselines and track progress made on underlying targets and subsequently the overall SDGs.

In its report, GFI recommends that world leaders should focus on curbing opacity in the global � nancial system, which facilitates these out� ows. l

Culture of impunityfound dead and others remain missing. The number rose to 47 in 2010, 59 in 2011, 56 in 2012 and 72 in 2013. 57 of them were later found dead, 36 freed after a stay in custody and 11 handed over to police.

Of the 88 cases last year, 23 were found dead, 12 released, one found at DB o� ce, two sent to jail and one shown arrested. Six bodies were recovered from among the 48 dis-appearences this year. Four others were freed, six shown arrested.

Rehana Banu Munni, sister of Selim Reza Pintu, said after her brother’s abduction, she tried to � le a GD, but they refused to comply. She � nally � led the GD with a court.

Shammi Sultana Nipa, wife of missing BNP leader Khalid Hasan Sohel, has been waiting for him for over two years. He was picked up by people claiming themselves as DB mem-bers. But when contacted DB denied links.

Last week, from a press conference, the families of 19 victims demanded that their relatives be brought back soon.

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said on Monday that such issues are negating the govern-ment’s successes.

ASK Director Nur Khan Liton said none of these incidents saw proper probe by the gov-ernment. So, the culprits were not identi� ed. “It is the government who has to prove that law enforcement agencies are not above the law.”

The government should form a probe committee with retired judges, activists and journalists, will make recommendations. “If the culture of impunity does not end, there will be a day when nobody will remain safe. Anyone can be disappeared any time,” he added.

When contacted, Home minister Asaduz-zaman Khan Kamal claimed that the law enforcers were asked to check the incidents of disappearance. He hoped that the law en-forcers would be able to solve the mystery behind the incidents. l

Negotiations stepFabius listed three issues: di� erentiation, � -nancing and abandoning. Loss and Damage � nancing is an area where the parties will have to work more while initial progress has been made on forests, he said.

“The best solution is to come again at 8pm with feedbacks on the text,” he told the parties, stressing the need for further compromise.

A Bangladesh delegation member said the issue of loss and damage assessment has been adopted in the draft for the legally binding part, but compensation still remains in the decision part.

“That means compensation would not be legally binding,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. Earlier, the French Presidency steered the negotiation process Tuesday night after a � urry of activities raised hopes.

“We’ll have to act in next 48 hours,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told a press conference. Clear progress was evident on late Tuesday evening, when the parties again met at the “Paris Committee” to hear reports from the facilitating ministers.

There was one area of clear division; facili-tating ministers reported that “very clear fault lines remained” and that parties were not yet prepared to put their positions on the table.

In the country statements that followed the reports, not a single party or group ob-jected to the way forward proposed by the COP president which is a remarkable achievement.

The parties had agreed to allow a new clean text to be prepared for presenting at 1pm yesterday. This document will almost certainly contain less contested text and pro-vide, as Fabius said on Tuesday evening, “a view of where the overall balance needs to be struck.”

A � ve-year ambition mechanism that be-gins around 2020 must also be locked in, observers said. This is the only path to bring 1.5°C within reach, they said, urging the ministers to recognise that like any good in-vestment, the upfront cost of mobilising the $100bn is far outweighed by the bene� ts of the trillions of dollars that will be unlocked.l

AdaptationHowever, yesterday morning, it was expect-ed that the provision would be legally bind-ing; the choice was between two words – “shall” or “should” – in the draft agreement.

The delegation from the LDCs from where the demand is being pushed for a long time, expressed concerns.

“By deleting the word ‘shall’ from the draft, now we are not getting what we have been expecting from Paris, particularly on balancing � nance,” said QK Ahamd, coordi-nator of the Bangladesh negotiating team.

The Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS) and Africa have been demanding a provision that will ensure 50% of the climate � nance for adaptation.

Out of the total climate � nancing dedi-

cated for adaptation, 50% should go into the most vulnerable states, the demand includes.

A number of funds including the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund have been introduced in the last few years to � -nance action to reduce climate vulnerabilities.

However, these funds have so far got very little contribution, which could facilitate more climate action programmes in the vul-nerable countries. For Instance, the Green Climate Fund was established in 2010 and it was supposed to get $100bn during 2013-2020 and a further $100bn each year from then on.

But till date, the fund has received only $10.2bn from the developed countries.

QK Ahmad is now worried about the fund as the developed countries have never ful-� lled their pledge. l

BNP yet to sort out seat-sharing with key ally Jamaatn Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

With just three weeks to go before the � rst partisan municipality polls, the BNP is yet to sort out seat-sharing with its partners, espe-cially its biggest ally Jamaat.

Jamaat-e-Islami, some of whose top lead-ers have been executed for 1971 war crimes, cannot take part in any competitive elections in Bangladesh because of a void registration with the Election Commission (EC).

Since Jamaat cannot nominate candidates, participation for the party means its munici-pality-level leaders will contest the polls in-dependently.

20-party alliance insiders said Jamaat wanted BNP not to nominate candidates for some 30 mayoral posts so that its leaders could contest there as independent candi-dates. However, the BNP does not want to give up more than 10 seats to its key ally.

There has not been any settlement in this regard until yesterday, and so the BNP think

tank has decided to leave it to its grassroots to sort things out.

This issue was discussed in a meeting yes-terday between BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir and the organis-ing secretaries at the party chairperson’s Gul-shan o� ce.

“The central leadership of the two parties [BNP and Jamaat] have not had any formal meeting on this issue. Neither have they [Ja-maat] ever said clearly how many seats they want. That is why we have asked the local leaders to solve this locally,” one of the or-ganising secretaries quoted Mirza Fakhrul as saying in the meeting.

The BNP has already nominated candi-dates for 234 out of the 236 voting municipal-ities and left the remaining two to its lesser partners Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Jatiya Party-Zafar.

In more than 40 of these municipalities, Jamaat leaders have also � led nomination papers.

The same situation arose between the BNP and the Jamaat during the city corporation polls in Dhaka and Chittagong earlier this year, although those polls were non-partisan and political parties could only back candi-dates rather than nominating them directly.

However, the meeting discussed the possi-bility of extending support to Jamaat leaders in those municipalities where the nomina-tion of BNP candidates have been cancelled.

The BNP organising secretaries have also been asked at the meeting to prepare a list of municipalities where Jamaat leades are more popular than BNP candidates.

With the issue of seat-sharing with its key ally Jamaat still not resolved, BNP and 20-party alliance chief Khaleda Zia has called a meeting of the BNP standing committee at her Gulshan o� ce tonight.

Earlier, in a meeting of the 20-party alli-ance, Jamaat had promised Khaleda Zia that it would extend full-hearted support to who-ever candidate the alliance chose. l

Awami League issues 24-hour ultimatum to rebelsn Abu Hayat Mahmud

The Awami League has given a 24-hour ultimatum to its rebel candidates for pulling out of the upcoming municipality polls.

Policymakers issued the ultimatum from a meeting of central leaders at Ganabhaban with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

After the meeting, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif told reporters: “The rebel candidates have been asked to withdraw their candidature within 24 hours. Otherwise they will have to face expulsion.”

Informing that the party high command is issuing letters to rebel candidates, Hanif said: “Many rebels have already withdrawn their nomination, responding to our letters.”

“Stern actions” will be taken against those who will not show respect to the decision taken by the party policymakers, said Hanif.

Asked whether the party nominated more than one candidates for any seat, he said: “Its a rumour. We have given nominations to 236 candidates and it is our � nal list.” l

Cox’s Bazar 27 20Dhaka 28 17 Chittagong 26 18 Rajshahi 28 13 Rangpur 27 15 Khulna 28 14 Barisal 28 16 Sylhet 26 14T 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 5:12PM SUN RISES 6:31AM

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW29.4ºC 13.5ºCBogra SrimangalTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

DRY WEATHER

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Fajr: 5:10am | Zohr: 11:51am Asr: 3:35pm | Magrib: 5:13pmEsha: 6:33pm

PRAYERTIMES

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 20155

DTPARIS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE

Bangladesh, India to jointly conserve Sundarbans

n Abu Bakar Siddique, from Paris

The conservation of the world’s largest single mangrove forest and Unesco World Heritage Site, the Sundarbans, will be jointly managed by Bangladesh and India, ministers from the two countries announced after bilateral talks at COP21.

Environment ministers from the two coun-tries yesterday announced the plans after a meeting held at the world climate conference venue in Le Bourget, near Paris, France.

“The Sundarbans may be in two countries but tigers know no boundary … this hotspot has to be preserved together. We have al-ready agreed that we will have a joint man-agement plan to preserve the Sundarbans. Within two months we will sit along with my colleague, the chief minister of West Bengal, to work out the joint management plan on the Sundarbans,” Prakash Javadekar, India’s environment minister, said at the meeting.

Echoing his Indian counterpart, Environ-ment and Forest Minister Anwar Hossain Manju said: “The Sundarbans share tigers as well as the impacts of climate change. This [joint Bangladesh-India e� ort to conserve the Sundarbans from climate change] is an im-portant initiative and we are fully prepared to support the Indian government on it.”

“We will try to work out how the climate vulnerability of the Sundarbans can be raised at the global platform jointly and much more strongly,” he added.

This is the � rst time that the two countries have come together to discuss the survival of the region, acutely threatened by climate change, at a key global climate change event.

The Sundarbans meeting was organised at the India pavilion of the Paris climate sum-mit with support from the Bangladesh-India Sundarbans Region Cooperation Initiative (BISRCI), a civil society consortium support-

ed by the World Bank. About two-thirds of the Sundarbans lies in

Bangladesh, the rest is in India’s West Ben-gal state. Sea level rise, more than twice the global average, and the increasing frequency of high intensity storms are threatening to submerge the island region.

The vulnerability is extreme as the pop-ulation living there is very large and largely impoverished, with 44% of residents living below the poverty line.

Although its occupants contribute virtual-ly nothing to climate change, the 13 million inhabitants of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh and India, are among the populations most vulnerable to changing climate.

According to a World Bank report, the population of the Sundarbans is equivalent to the population of 12 Small Island Country

States (SIDS).But while the vulnerability of small island

countries is often highlighted at internation-al forums, the threat to the Sundarbans hard-ly garners attention as it is spread across two countries.

“It’s a very welcome development. The Sundarbans’ climate change-related vulnera-bility has not come into adequate focus so far because the region is split among India and Bangladesh and the countries were not rais-ing the issue together,” said Anurag Danda of WWF India, a Sundarbans expert.

“It’s a win-win situation for both coun-tries, as apart from � nancial support, a joint push for the Sundarbans is also likely to cre-ate a high degree of climate adaptation strat-egies for the region, potentially the biggest among island regions,” he added. l

USA to double its grants for adaptationn Abu Bakar Siddique, from Paris

The United States announced yesterday that it would double the grants for countries pre-paring for adaptation by 2010.

“The Obama Administration is commit-ted to helping vulnerable nations prepare for, and build resilience to, the impacts of climate change. That’s why the United States is announcing that it will double its grant-based, public climate � nance for adaptation by 2020,” said Secretary of State John Kerry while addressing COP21 yesterday.

As of last year, the US invested more than $400 million per year of grant-based resources for climate adaptation in devel-oping countries. These investments provide support – through both bilateral and multi-lateral channels – to vulnerable countries to reduce climate risks in key areas, including infrastructure, agriculture, health and water services, he said.

“Climate change is a global threat that requires a global solution. Yet, many of the countries that have contributed little to glob-al emissions are impacted the most.”

Changing rainfall patterns and melting glaciers will jeopardise water supplies for hundreds of millions of people, Kerry said. Global sea levels have risen about 8 inches over the last century, placing a heavy burden on island nations in particular.

Kerry said climate change enhances the spread of pests that cause life threatening diseases like dengue, malaria, and Lyme dis-ease. And climate change is increasing the risk of extreme weather events with more intense hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons, heavier rain and snowfall, more frequent and intense heat waves, and longer droughts that are already impacting food security in poor countries.

“The commitment to double that � gure by 2020 is a component of an existing commit-ment by developed countries to jointly mobi-lise $100 billion per year by 2020 from a wide variety of sources, in the context of meaning-ful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation,” Kerry said in his speech. l

The need for more ambition at COP21n Sohara Mehroze Shachi

As the Paris climate conference nears its � nale, one thing is clear: ambition is needed on all fronts in order to reach an e� ective agreement.

Ambition starts with money. According to International Energy Agency data, more than $18 trillion of investment is needed in the energy sector to achieve the target of keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius.

“The best possible outcome from Paris would create a positive framework for in-vestment in the emerging countries where

new energy infrastructure is needed,” Si-mone Mori of Enel Group, an Italy-based multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and gas, says.

Italian Minister of Environment Gian Luca Galetti adds: “We have to increase our ambi-tions and in order to do so we have to lever-age market mechanisms.”

Over 50% of Intended Nationally Deter-mined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by 186 countries say they seek access to an in-ternational market mechanism to achieve emissions reduction targets.

Je� Swartz, director of international policy for the International Emissions Trading Asso-

ciation (IETA), said: “We need a policy struc-ture in Paris that allows us to compare INDCs and move towards ratcheting up ambitions.”

In this context, a rules based system for businesses is required that states what needs to be reported on and when, and to whom the reports must be made.

“When businesses cooperate with each other under a rules based system, they are enabling themselves to go even further for emissions reductions …” Swartz adds.

Raising ambition means establishing linkag-es between national and sub-national policies.

Robert N Stavins, director of the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements, says linkages

lead to cost savings, reduce price volatility and provide a means to achieve common but di� erentiated responsibilities without sacri� cing cost e� ectiveness, thus enabling greater ambition.

INDCs must enable ambition by making it possible to incorporate the latest technology.

Mori adds: “It is very important to be able to adapt and update the pledges according to the updates of technology.”

All of the parties at COP21 must step up and put their ambitious o� ers on the table to secure a dynamic agreement. Countries must go above and beyond their commitments to safeguard the future of the planet. l

A recent photo shows two men catching crabs in Harintana area of the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, that has su� ered ecological damage due to climate change SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015News6DT

Thirteen of Bishwajit killers still tracelessn Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Prosecutors and family members of innocent Old Dhaka tailor Bishwajit Das have deplored police’s role as the law enforcers could not ar-rest the 13 fugitive killers in the last three years.

Of them, the two death-row convicts have already � ed the country while some of the 11 other criminals, who had been given life-term jail two years ago, are trying to leave the country, according to sources.

The 13 killers, all leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Jagannath Univer-sity unit, have been on the run since the murder.

Rajon Talukder, who was given death penalty, is currently staying in Kolkata while another death-row convict Mir Md Noor-e-Alam Limon is in Singapore.

A special Dhaka court on December 19, 2013 sentenced eight Chhatra League leaders and activists to death and 13 others to life-term imprisonment for killing Bishwajit near Badadur Shah Park on December 9, 2012.

They appealed against the sentences with the High Court on January 8 last year.

On the other hand, the prosecution is yet to complete preparing the paper book of the case though the trial court had sent the death reference on December 31, 2013. One of the defence counsels Md Jamal Uddin Khandaker told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our appeal petitions are now waiting for hearing in the apex court.”

Public prosecutor Abdullah Abu of the Dhaka’s Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court said that the Speedy Trial Tribunal had is-sued warrants for the arrest of the fugitives. He thinks that the police could have arrested the fugitives if they wanted to.

Meanwhile, police’s failure to arrest the fugitives has created panic among the family members of Bishwajit.

His elder brother Uttam Kumar Das told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our family is in a state of panic as the 13 convicts are still on the run.”

Alleging that police were not cordial to arrest the fugitives, Uttam urged the govern-

ment to take immediate initiatives for the arrest of the convicts, speedy disposal of the appeals and execution of the verdict with a view to ensuring justice.

Police’s detective branch is coordinating the arrest of the fugitive convicts in the sensational case that witnessed a fast-track trial. DB Deputy Commissioner Muntasirul Islam said that they were working relentlessly to arrest the culprits.

The six other death row convicts are Md Ra� qul Islam Shakil, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon, Quiyum Miah Tipu and Saiful Islam.

Lifer Golam Mostafa and AHM Kibria, cur-rently under police custody, and fugitives – Monirul Haque Pavel, Obaidul Quader Tah-sin, Imran Hossain, Khondoker Md Yunus Ali, Tarique Bin Zohor Tamal, Azizur Rah-man Aziz, Al Amin Sheikh, Mosharraf Hos-sain, Ra� qul Islam, Md Alauddin and Kamrul Hasan – were given life-term imprisonment.

The unruly Chhatra League men beat up and hacked Bishwajit with sharp weapons

mistaking him as an opposition activist. He died at a hospital after some time.

He was among other people who ran for safe-ty following blasts near Shakhari Bazar around 9am on December 9, 2012. The 24-year-old was going to his tailoring shop at Shakhari Bazar at that time. Meanwhile, the BNP-backed lawyers brought out a procession in the area in favour of their countrywide blockade programme.

After the blasts, the Chhatra League men chased the lawyers with sticks, rods, steel pipes and machetes and found Bishwajit running. He scurried onto the second � oor of a nearby building. But the murderers hunted him down as he was trying to take shelter in-side a dental clinic on the � oor. They dragged him down to the streets beating and hacking as some of them continued to pound him.

Bishwajit somehow managed to free him-self from his attackers and cross the road, but collapsed. Some pedestrians then put him on a rickshaw that took him to Mitford Hospital where he breathed his last. l

Order on seven-murder probe December 14n Ashif Islam Shaon

The High Court has deferred to December 14 the date for passing an order on a revision petition seeking further in-vestigation into the Narayan-ganj seven-murder case.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain reset the date yesterday seeking the peti-tioner’s statement given to the magistrate court, which had rejected the no-con� -dence plea � led by the plain-ti� of the murder case.

Yesterday was � xed for giv-ing an order on the petition.

Selina Islam Beauty, wife of former Narayanganj city panel mayor Nazrul Islam who was one of the seven victims killed following their abduction in April last year, � led the “criminal revision

petition” with the High Court on November 23.

She had sought further investigation into the sensa-tional seven-murder incident, remand of prime accused Nur Hossain and the inclusion of � ve FIR-listed accused in the charge sheet.

The court last week ob-served that the charge sheet was � awed but stressed that the case must not be allowed to drag on, on the pretext of further investigation.

Narayanganj ward councillor Nazrul Islam, his three associ-ates and private car driver, and senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarker and his driver were ab-ducted on April 27 last year from Fatullah of Narayanganj on their way to the capital. Their bodies were recovered � oating on the Shitalakkhya River April 30 and the next day. l

ObituaryNiloufer Mahmood, an edu-cationist and social worker, breathed her last on Decem-ber 7, 2015. She was 78.

The wife of late Atiq R Mahmood, Niloufer Mahmood started her career as a lecturer at Home Eco-nomics College in Dhaka. She went on to serve as principal of BWA School Chittagong and Shaheed Bir Uttam Anwar School and College in Dhaka.

She also ran Shaheen Pub-lic School and College in Dha-ka and was also the founding principal of Hermann Gmein-er School and College, Dhaka.

She was a syndicate mem-

ber of UCEP, an EC Member of United World College (UWC Bangladesh National Commit-tee), the education secretary WVA and a Chartered Member of Rotary International.

She graduated from Dhaka University in Geography and obtained a second Masters in Child Psychology from Okla-homa State University.

She left behind a daughter, a son, three grandchildren, eight siblings, and a host of admirers to celebrate her life.

Her qulkhwani will take place on Friday following Asr prayers at Gulshan Azad Mosque. l

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015News 7

DT

Shamsher, 11 others indicted n Tribune Report

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against former BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and 11 others of BNP-led alliance in a case � led for vandalising, ob-structing police from discharging their duties.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lutfur Rahman Shishir framed the charges against the 12 accused rejecting their dis-charge petitions � led by defense counsel Md Sanaullah Miah.

The court also � xed March 1 for starting the trial by recording depositions of prosecu-tion witnesses in the case. Mobin among 10 accused appeared before the court, pleaded not guilty and they also demanded justice after the court read out the charges to them.

After framing the charges, the court also is-sued warrant for the arrest of the two accused as they did not appear before the court. l

Autopsy: Nirob died within half an hour of drowningn Arifur Rahman Rabbi

Five-year-old Ismail Hossain Nirob, who fell into an uncovered sewer pipe on Tuesday, drowned and died within 10-30 minutes of the incident, according to the autopsy report.

“We suspect that the boy died within 10 to 30 minutes after falling into the manhole. We found water in his stomach and his whole body tissue,” said Dhaka Medical College As-sistant Professor Dr Kazi Mohammad Abu Sama, who led the post-mortem examination.

The forensic team concluded the au-topsy yesterday morning, while the child’s body was handed over to his family around 11:30am.

Kadamtali police station Sub-Inspector Mou� zur Rahman said: “A general diary has

been � led in this connection. The next step will be taken after consulting the high o� -cials.”

On Tuesday, � re � ghters searched for Nirob for almost four hours after he fell into the sewer in the capital’s Shyampur area. When Nirob was � nally found around 8:30pm, he was unconscious; DMCH doctors declared him dead half an hour later.

“Like the one in front of our house, man-holes remain uncovered across the country. My son died after falling into the manhole, but there is no expectation of justice,” Nirob’s father Rezaul Karim told the Dhaka Tribune while receiving his son’s body from the DMC morgue.

Referring to Jihad, a child who died last December after falling into a manhole,

Rezaul said: “Jihad died earlier in a similar fashion, but nothing has changed.”

Rezaul said the family would not � le any case as it will not bring any outcome. “My son will never return,” he said.

The father, however, expressed hopes that no child would die again from such a preventable accident that happened because of negligence from authorities concerned.

The � ve-year-old was supposed to start going to school from next month, Rezaul said; but instead Nirob will now be buried in his native Bonogram village of Madaripur district.

Nirob’s uncle Mohammad Selim said the child’s mother Nazma Begum has gone near-ly mad following the death of her son. She is yet to believe the incident, Selim said. l

Power and Energy Week 2015 kicks o� todayn Aminur Rahman Rasel

The Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) will host Power and Energy Week 2015 from today, creating public aware-ness about the responsible use of electricity.

At a press conference at Bidyut Bhaban yesterday, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, said the energy and power divisions were organ-ising the event together.

First organised in 2010, this is the fourth edition of the week-long event. The theme this year is “Towards the Path of Light.”

President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to in-

augurate the programme.Nasrul said the event is meant to create

public awareness about the e� cient use of power and energy, adding that Power and Energy Week would be observed nationwide.

“The programme will increase the stand-ard of work of people involved in electricity production, transmission and distribution,” he said. Nasrul said next year the minis-try is planning major initiatives to root out � eld-level corruption.

“We are already producing enough elec-tricity for our consumers. Now the biggest challenge is to provide electricity in the cheapest possible way,” he said.

Echoing the State Minister, Power Division Secretary Monowar Islam said from this year there would no longer be any load shedding.

“We are now an electricity surplus coun-try. Until now we have given our utmost at-tention to generating electricity. Now we will give more attention to transmission and dis-tribution,” he said.

Monowar said some 160 government and non-government organisations were taking part in the event.

The fair will be held on the premises of the BICC and will be open between 10am and 8pm from December 10 to 12.

He said college and university scouts

from would take part in public awareness programmes from December 9 to 12, while school scouts would participate in similar programmes between December 20 and 23.

The top 10 entries in an inter-university competition on renewable energy innovation will be showcased, he added. Some 60 pro-jects have been submitted by 35 universities of the country. Various seminars will also be held during Power and Energy Week.

Awards will be presented by the ministry to the best sta� , best electricity generation unit, best electricity distribution unit and best non-government operation in the power and energy sectors, he added. l

MoU signed for 700MW Matarbari coal plantn Aminur Rahman Rasel

Singapore’s Sembcorp yesterday signed a mem-orandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned Coal Power Generation Company Bang-ladesh Limited (CPGCBL) to build a 700MW power plant at Matarbari in Cox’s Bazar.

As per the MoU, Sembcorp will construct the power plant, a jetty for coal imports, coal storage facilities, electri� cation and trans-mission facilities, roadways and a township.

The project, to be implemented on a 50:50 equity basis, is scheduled to be completed by December 2022. MD of CPGCBL Abul Kasem and Tan Cheng Guan, executive vice president and head of group business development and commercial at Sembcorp, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.

The proposed project will share common facilities of the Matarbari coal-� red power project, including the coal transshipment ter-minal and related facilities, coal unloading jet-ty and 400 kV sub-station, Abul Kasem said.

On August 5, the Cabinet Purchase Com-mittee approved a separate unsolicited Semb-corp o� er to set up a 400MW dual-fuel power plant on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis, un-der a joint venture with state-owned North-West Power Generation Company Ltd. l

A bulldozer clears illegally erected tin-shed structures yesterday, as part of an eviction drive by railway authorities against people encroaching the land around the capital’s Gendaria train station DHAKA TRIBUNE

Savar independent candidates aggrieved at not getting symbols yetn Our Correspondent, Savar

The independent candi-dates in Savar and Dham-rai who will be contesting the upcoming municipal elections are discontented as they are yet to be allot-ted polls symbols and are

hence unable to organise campaigns. Campaigns have been allowed to be run

six days prior to the allotment of symbols and candidates � elded by political parties

began campaigning yesterday morning. Salah Uddin Khan Nayeem, an independent

mayoral candidate in Savar municipality polls, said candidates backed by parties have got a head start over independent contestants because the former have begun campaigning vigorously using party symbols.

“The polls will be held under party ban-ners and this is why allowing campaigns before the allotment of symbols has been an advantage for party-backed candidates.

“We have no way but to wait to be allot-ted symbols before we can campaign. We can

now meet voters but electioneering is di� -cult as we cannot ask them to vote for specif-ic symbols,” he explained.

Independent mayoral candidate in Dhamrai municipality elections Habibur Rahman Habib echoed Nayeem’s view, saying that the par-ty-backed candidates are getting this advantage as polls are being held under party banners.

“We, the independent contestants, will lag behind them when it comes to election campaigns,” he said in a resentful voice.

A total of 11 candidates, including three in-dependent ones, will contest the elections l

News8DTTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Natore BNP-backed mayor aspirants face casesn Our Correspondent, Natore

Most of the seven BNP-af-� liated mayor aspirants in the six municipalities of Natore have several crimi-nal cases pending with dif-ferent courts, according to the a� davits published by

the Election Commission.Their nomination papers were, however, ac-

cepted by the election returning o� cer as valid.On the other hand, the mayor candidates

backed by the ruling Awami League and the party’s rebels have no criminal cases against them, according to the published a� davits.

Two of the BNP-nominated candidates – Ishaque Ali of Boraigram and Shamim Al Razi Md Shahinur Rahman – are incumbent may-ors. They both has two cases against them.

The case � led in 2006 with Boraigram po-lice against Ishaque is currently under trial at the Natore’s Speedy Trial Tribunal. Po-lice have � led � nal report in the other case lodged against him in 2013.

On the other hand, the two cases against Singra municipality Mayor Shahinur were � led in 2010 and 2015.

Moreover, BNP-nominated candidate in Gurudashpur Moshiur Rahman Bablu faces one case � led under the Special Powers Act while Gopalpur’s Nazrul Islam has three cas-

es � led against him.The BNP-nominated mayor aspirants will

have to face rebels in Natore sadar, Noldanga and Singra municipalities.

Zillur Rahman Khan Chowdhury of Natore sadar municipality has four criminal cases against him, one of which was � led under the Explosives Substances Act. He is the general secretary of district unit Jubo Dal, the youth wing of the BNP.

In Noldanga municipality, BNP leader Zil-lur Rahman is vying for the mayor post as an independent candidate. He faces two cases.

Mayor aspirant Dauder Mahmud in Singra municipality has three cases pending with di� erent courts. l

MUNICIPALITYPOLLS 2015

MUNICIPALITYPOLLS 2015

MUNICIPALIT Y POLLS 2015

MUNICIPALIT YPOLLS 2015

M U N I C I P A L I T Y P O L L S 2 0 1 5

Josheph’s death sentence commutedn Tribune Report

The Supreme Court yesterday commuted the death sentence of Tofayel Ahmed Joseph, a top-listed criminal of the 1990s, to life im-prisonment.

The Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave its judg-ment in the case over the 1996 murder of Freedom Party leader Musta� zur Rahman in the capital’s Mohammadpur.

It acquitted another accused named Ka-bil. Joseph had moved to the SC after a 2007 verdict by the High Court that awarded him death sentence.

There were at least 11 cases including ex-tortion, murder, illegal arms � led with di� er-ent police stations against Joseph when he was arrested 17 years back. All of the cases have already been disposed.

According to the case statement Musta� -zur Rahman was killed on May 7, 1996. The

next day his wife � led a case with Moham-madpur Police Station. Police pressed charg-es against him on October 8.

A Dhaka court on April 25, 2004 sentenced Joseph and Masud Jomader to death, Kabil Sarkar, Anis Ahmed and Joseph’s brother Haris Ahmed to life-term imprisonment. That year Joseph and Kabil moved to the High Court while, Anis and Haris remained absconding.

The HC on September 20, 2007 acquitted Masud and upheld Joseph and Kabil’s con-victions following hearing appeal and death references. Joseph and Kabil moved to the SC in 2009.

“Kabil was acquitted and he can been freed from jail,” said his lawyer Khondokar Mahbub Hossain.

SM Shahjahan, another lawyer, said Jo-seph was 20-year-old when the murder took place. He has been in the jail for 17 years and of the time 11 years in condemned cell.

“He can’t be released now,” he said. l

Square Hospitals � ned Tk2.65 lakhn Tribune Report

A mobile court accompanied by RAB 2 � ned Square Hospital Tk2.65 lakh yesterday, charg-ing it with six irregularities.

The court led by Executive Magistrate Md Helal Uddin conducted the drive at the pri-vate hospital, said a press release.

The hospital was � ned for not having the drug administration registration for its medi-cal devices and surgical apparatuses and also a premises drug licence, which is required to keep drugs for surgical purposes.

It was also charged for not renewing the li-cence of the hospital and its blood bank and diagnostic centre; for not having licences for its ICU, CCU, NICU, HDU and dialysis unit; for operating a 365-bed hospital despite having approval for only 300 beds; for not o� ering 5% of the total beds free of cost as per directives; and for producing and selling food items without the permission of the city corpora-tion and also commercially producing and selling cakes without the approval of the BSTI.

The RAB 2 press release said the authori-ties paid the � ne immediately. l

Election campaigns using symbols from December 14n Adil Sakhawat

No municipality polls candidate can cam-paign using symbol before December 14 and mobile courts will function in every munic-ipality around the country from that day to monitor how the campaigns are run.

This decision was made yesterday at a meeting of the Election Commission (EC), with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad in the chair.

EC Secretary Sirajul Islam told reporters after the meeting: “Campaigns have formally begun from today but the candidates can use their symbols in electioneering once they are allotted theirs on December 14.”

“If party-backed candidates use symbols now during campaigns, independent candi-dates will be a� ected by the discrimination,” he said.

Sirajul said Awami League- and BNP-backed candidates are more familiar to vot-ers because of their party identity.

“But this does not mean that independent candidates will lag behind because each of them has an identity of his or her own,” he said.

The EC o� cial said some lawmakers had been served show-cause notices for being di-rectly involved in campaigns. l

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015News 9

DT

Excavation of thousand-year-old Buddhist temple begins n Tanjil Hasan, Munshiganj

Excavation work of a thousand-year old Buddhist Temple at Nateshwar village under Tongibari upazila of the district has begun.

A team of Bangladashi and Chinese arche-ologists jointly started the work on Novem-ber 12. An inauguration ceremony is expect-ed to be held in this regard on December 17.

Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader will join the ceremony as chief guest.

The Director of Archaeological Excava-tion and Research Project in Munshiganj’s Bikrampur, Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, announced the discovery at a press conference at the site

On February 16, 2015. Later, excavation work was going on full swing.

Working over two months, archaeologists discovered many di� erent structures at the site including octagonal piles, chambers and pedestals. The excavation work was also postponed due to heavy rain afterwards.

Earlier, another temple Raghurampur Bud-hdist Temple was discovered in the district.

The aim of the excavation work is to ex-plore the thousand-year old city and become aquatinted with the-then social structure and other aspects.

Sponsor organisation ‘Agrasar Bikrampur Foundation’ has taken up this enthusiastic project by engaging 200 workforces.

The main focus of the undergoing excava-tion work is to � nd out the entire structural position of a Buddhist city as envisioned by the archaeological experts.

The vast areas are marked by speci� c rem-nants of Buddhist civilisation during the reign of Chandra and Barmo, according to experts.

Archaeologists have detected a number of ruins of the old Buddha city consisting of about eight corners. Rooms, roads and even drainage system made of burnt bricks around thousand years ago have also been found.

The fascinating part of the undergoing excavation at Nateshwar village is the use of better technology. Drone planes are being used to take photos of the entire work.

The excavation work is being carried out under a team of professional supervisors led by seven Chinese archaeologists accompa-nied by Head of the Department of Archaeol-ogy at the Jahangirnagar University Professor Su� Musta� zur Rahman.

Musta� zur Rahman said: “We started the excavation work in 2010. Later, in 2014 Chi-nese archeologists joined us. Till February, 2015, many archeological � nds such as piles, chambers, pedestals were discovered.”

When contacted, team leader of Chinese archeologists and Associate Professor of Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology Li Yi Uan said:“We will say about the site o� cially on December 17.” l

Feature10DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

n Nasr Dastgir

Red Shift Co� ee Lounge has quickly become a hub for literary fans in the vicinity of Gulshan. Home of the Saturday morning literary brunches and possibly

the only bookstore in the neighbourhood – supported by Charcha books – visitors are beginning to see Red Shift as a centre for art and expression rather than an ordinary cafe.

The Red Shift literary brunches started in October with Dhaka Tribune as its media partner. Each week, a new special guest is featured showcasing their latest literary work or leading discussions on a particular topic. The most recent session was led by writers Ikhtisad Ahmed and Neeman Sobhan, both of whose latest works are being published by Bengal Lights Books.

Ikhtisad Ahmed’s book, “Yours, Etcetera” is a thought-provoking and engaging short story collection that discusses compelling protagonists’ journey through narrations that are a blend of socio-political satire and clever humour. Neeman Sobhan’s poetry collection, “Calligraphy of Wet Leaves” conveys the writer’s love of places where she has lived – primarily Italy – and how the old and the new unite to form new narratives. Both writers read excerpts from their respective books for the literary brunch audience.

While the two authors have very di� erent writing styles, they also share things in common. For one, both have fascinating histories. Ikhtisad Ahmed gave up a career as a human rights lawyer to concentrate on writing full-time. Raised in Dhaka and residing in London, the Dhaka Tribune columnist’s critically acclaimed writing credits include the poetry collections “Cryptic Verses and Requiem,” and the plays The Theatre of the Absurd and The Deliverance of Sanctuary.

Based in Italy, Neeman Sobhan teaches at the University of Rome, La Sapienza. For almost two decades she wrote a weekly column for the Daily Star, with an anthology of her columns called “An Abiding City: Ruminations from Rome” published in 2002. Her poetry has appeared in various international and national magazines while her short stories have been included in numerous anthologies, including “From the Delta: Fiction from Bangladesh” and “Arshilata: Women’s Fiction from India and Bangladesh,” both edited by Niaz Zaman.

Another interesting aspect that unites the two writers is the inspiration behind their latest work. Both authors expressed their desire to step out of their respective comfort zones and try something they had never attempted before. As Ahmed explained, “I knew who I was as a poet and I knew who I was as a playwright. I didn’t necessarily know who I was as a prose writer, and I decided to write short stories as a way of discovering who I was and what my prose would look like before I tackled a novel. As writers, we need to be sure of ourselves and what we are doing and short stories taught me how to do that.”

Similarly, Sobhan wanted to challenge herself. “My engagement with language

was there right from the start, and I love working with words. For prose, words need to be in the best order; for poetry, the best words need to be in the best order. It’s more stringent and I love that challenge. I’m always writing and I’ve written reams of poetry and this book is a very slim scratching of the surface.” She continued, “I’ve gone from writing non-� ction to � ction then to poetry, and ironically poetry is my � rst love. Until now I hadn’t published any poetry because I always thought of writing poetry as something private and personal. So I kept pushing it aside until I was persuaded by writer Aamer Hussein and also Sudeep Sen to publish them.”

The Red Shift literary brunches enjoy bringing writers with disparate styles together and this occasion was no di� erent, with Ahmed’s satirical and critical descriptions standing alongside Sobhan’s sensual and emotional verses. The coming weeks of the literary brunches will see the launch of Zayna Mahmud’s novel on December 12 and a discussion with Mujib comic creator Tonmoy on December 19 – once again showing the range of diverse topics presented at the brunch sessions.

So make the Saturday literary brunches a regular part of your calendar and never miss out on sessions with fantastic writers, stimulating discussions and useful insight on an array of subjects. To � nd out about upcoming guests and topics of discussion, keep reading the Dhaka Tribune. l

Prose and poetry with a cup of co� ee

While the two authors have very di� erent writing styles, they also share things in common. For one, both have fascinating histories

The Red Shift literary brunches enjoy bringing writers with disparate styles together

INSIDE

The recent arrest of � ve individuals in the capital’s Motijheel area brings to light the urgency of the problem of human tra� cking.

It is high time that the government took action against tra� cking syndicates which operate throughout Bangladesh, luring desperate

individuals with promises of better employment and standards of living. The tra� cking ring, which had o� ered the victims jobs in Syria, is only one of

multiple such cases which plagued the nation this year. In September, four people were detained after they were found torturing children no more than 14 years old with promises of computer education. They had been operating under the guise of an NGO, bringing in children from the street to be forced to work, with eventual plans of being illegally smuggled abroad.

And again in August and September, 10 more people were held with allegations of organ tra� cking, among others, with one syndicate having smuggled over 400 women to the Middle East.

Despite the continued persistence of these syndicates, the government has done little to curb the cruel and nefarious ways in which these groups operate.

It is of the utmost priority that the government stops turning a blind eye to the plight of the underprivileged masses who feel that leaving the country via unscrupulous means is the only avenue to a better life. It is indeed a matter of grave concern that in spite of the risks which are inevitably attached to such a path, people continue to consider it the more preferable option.

A coherent and systematic approach is required by all concerned countries to work together and put an end to this consistent barter and devaluation of human life.

It is also crucial to make the country safe and habitable for people in need, by providing adequate support and training so that they are not only able to import their skills abroad through legal means, but are able to seek better employment in their own country. This will ensure that people do not resort to desperate means to escape a life of misery that has become all too common in our nation.

A coherent and systematic approach is required by all concerned countries to work together and put an end to this consistent barter and devaluation of human life

If Pakistan had won

The concept and the realityAs a man, putting yourself in their shoes is not that di� cult: Just think about the most helpless situation you can ever be in -- without the the help of anyone -- and try thinking about the solution of the problem until you hit the proverbial wall

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PAGE 14

Are we headed for change or tragedy?The mitigation target/ambition of the Paris agreement needs to be settled at 1.5C -- more than 100 countries are asking for it, after all. And I know that the LDCs are pushing for it. For the likes of the US, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela, to name a few, arguing to not set the goal at 1.5C is a result of their dependency on fossil fuels doing the talking

Most of this progress would not have happened if we had lost the war. We would not have seen so many successful entrepreneurs, chief executives o� cers, judges, diplomats, civil and military bureaucrats, vice-chancellors and professionals, had there been no victory over the Pakistani occupation army

Human tra� cking is a stain on our conscience

11D

TEditorialTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

BIGSTOCK

n Mamun Rashid

What would have really happened if Pakistan had won the 1971 war? The massacre would have been on a much greater scale,

no doubt. Sheikh Mujib, if not killed, would have his detention extended. Ziaur Rahman, Sha� ullah, Khaled Mosharraf, AK Khondokar, Shamsher Mubin Chowdhury, Ha� z Uddin, Shahjahan Omar -- all armed forces o� cers would have been court martialed and put in front of a � ring squad.

Hussain Ali, Shah AMS Kibria, Tau� q E Elahi Chowdhury, SA Samad, Saadat Hussain, Akbar Ali Khan, and many of their civil servant friends would have been sent home early or put behind bars. We would have seen more of our intellectuals -- the Dr Alim Chowdhurys, Munier Chowdhurys, or Selina Parveens -- dead; more and more doctors, engineers, and scientists abducted and killed.

Many more of our daughters, sisters, and mothers would have ben violated. Many more common and innocent people killed by the Pakistani occupying forces and their local collaborators. Many people drifting to and fro for a safe abode like the Palestinians, and our neighbouring country India would have been totally fed up carrying the extra burden of around 10 million refugees (if not more) from

East Pakistan.Speakers at a “Rise of Bangladesh

entrepreneurship” dialogue were telling us: “Thank God the war of liberation was only for nine months. Had it been longer, the economy would have been in ruins and recovery would have taken much longer, making growth and � nancial prospects much more bleak and challenging.” We have a burning example almost next door in Vietnam.

However, to me, the possibilities mentioned by the speakers at the dialogue, seemed not enough. Bangladesh now boasts thousands of entrepreneurs, professionals, and diplomats, and it is very happy with its growing prestige in the “comity of nations,” especially among its peers.

It has a story to tell with regards to social progress made, women’s empowerment, independence of media, access to education, and respectable GDP growth despite the odds. So many students are going abroad for higher studies under quotas or scholarship allocated for Bangladesh; so many diplomats are in foreign lands with the Bangladesh � ag � ying on their cars.

So many Bangladeshis are � nding employment in foreign countries and are being respected for their work ethic.

A lot of global corporations have put

up their country o� ces in Bangladesh and created employment and other opportunities for young Bangladeshis. People coming from very humble backgrounds like me can become CEOs of those global companies.

The “made in Bangladesh” label is found in the markets of increasing numbers of countries and commanding greater respect from consumers. The country became the third largest apparel producer in the world, and the second largest supplier of ready-made garments to the United States.

Members of Bangladesh’s peace-keeping forces are loved by everyone in the con� ict-ridden African countries and elsewhere, and even by the UN.

The success of the Bangladeshi micro-credit model is being replicated in many other countries. And now, Professor Yunus’s “social business” is being seen as an innovative and exemplary economic model.

People from Bangladesh are gradually making their mark in the countries in which they are residing. Despite some issues, Bangladesh is becoming a model of liberal democracy amongst Muslim-majority countries. The international community is also gradually coming to realise our success.

An increasing number of business houses are beginning to recognise the fact that money has to be made at home where policy does not change with the change of government. Added to this is an abundant supply of cheap labour.

Our young cricketers have beaten the erstwhile popular Pakistan team several times, and have placed a strong footprint among cricket-playing nations.

Most of this progress would not have happened if we had lost the war. We would not have seen so many successful entrepreneurs, chief executives o� cers, judges, diplomats, civil and military bureaucrats, vice-chancellors, and professionals, had there been no victory over the Pakistani occupation army.

So many airlines would not have touched Dhaka airport, and the country would have never seen so many visitors or development partners getting engaged in the job of making our future brighter.

Everything would have been decided by people in West Pakistan and most of the good jobs, if not all, would have gone to West Pakistanis. Yes, our farmers might have been slightly wealthier, rural people would have lived a more peaceful life, but there would have been much more of the educated unemployed and fewer people contributing to national wealth building.

It was possibly December 16, 2005, a Friday. The Imam in Gulshan mosque was as usual o� ering prayers for the success of the Muslim Ummah and oppressed Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere after Jumma.

A young man, in his feeble voice, murmured: “The Imam spent so much time praying for the Muslim fraternity, but not a single word was uttered for the salvation of the 1971 martyred freedom � ghters who created this independent country.”

He was more aggrieved, because our freedom � ghters were Muslims who joined the liberation war to uphold the spirit of independence, democracy, secularism, and, more importantly, to resist an unjust war forced upon their motherland.

Many of my friends feel that victory in our liberation war was guaranteed, since it was an unjust war against us and the entire nation. We should never forget what would have really happened, if Pakistan won the 1971 war and keep on remembering the leaders, � ghters, and support groups who helped the birth of an independent country and let us enjoy the fruits of independence. An independent poor country is far better than a prosperous colony. l

Mamun Rashid is a business professor and � nancial sector entrepreneur.

If Pakistan had won

Most of this progress would not have happened if we had lost the war. We would not have seen so many successful entrepreneurs, chief executives o� cers, judges, diplomats, civil and military bureaucrats, vice-chancellors and professionals, had there been no victory over the Pakistani occupation army

We have come very far from our violent beginnings in 1971 RAJIB DHAR

It is better to be independent and poor than a prosperous servant

Opinion12DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Opinion 13D

T

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

n Rakib Avi

Let’s talk about a problem today -- something we generally shy away from. Most of us say it is an abhorrent act, and tend to look the other way.

Some of us go back home and commit it, like the hypocrites we are. The problem? One in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence -- mostly at the hands of an intimate partner.

If you just pause for a while and think about the numbers rather than the customary shriek it generates amongst people, you will discover something shocking.

Think about all the women you crossed today on your way to the o� ce, the market, or home, and try to apply the math. But they are all unknown to you; why would you bother? There are enough problems in the country anyway.

Let’s try to put faces on those unknown women then. Three is a very small number. Try to look around in a social gathering when you are most safe, among your friends and families.

Who do you see? It’s a gathering of your mother, your sister, her baby daughter, your friend’s wife, and a dear cousin who just got married. I count four women and a baby girl there. How about applying the math now?

The concept of violence against women has evolved over the years, and the current de� nition is not that old. If we consider the length of human civilisation, one might wonder what took us so long to understand the many faces of violence that can be projected towards half our society. The

answer is hidden amidst a sea of ignorance and intolerance that has incubated within us under the guise of social norms, culture, and beliefs.

Feminism, being a loaded word for many, reached new heights in terms of gaining the support of international bodies in the early 1900s.

A triumphant moment of success for women’s rights’ activists was the Beijing Declaration where an unprecedented 17,000 participants and 30,000 activists streamed into Beijing for the opening of the Fourth World Conference on Women in September 1995.

It was a remarkably diverse group of people from across the globe with a single purpose: Gender equality and the empowerment of all women, everywhere.

After � erce debates over issues which no one thought would ever be addressed in a UN convention, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was produced, dubbed by many as the most progressive blueprint to advance women’s rights in the world.

This year marks the 20 year anniversary of the declaration which imagined a world where each woman and girl could exercise her freedom and choices and realise all her rights, such as to live free from violence, to go to school, to participate in decisions, and to earn equal pay for equal work.

All of which should come naturally to any person living in a civilised society, regardless of sex and gender identity.

Most of us forget, while doling out angry rhetoric in endless seminars and roundtables, that the underlying cause of

this phenomenon is the unequal power structure embedded within our society. It is a society where a girl is considered unsuitable for marriage when they near the age of 30, as they are less likely to safely carry out the reproductive role they are so eagerly prepared for by the family.

Ours is a society where teenage girls commit suicide in the face of verbal harassment.

As a man, putting yourself in their shoes is not that di� cult: Just think about the most helpless situation you can ever be in -- without the the help of anyone -- and try thinking about the solution of the problem until you hit the proverbial wall, and you would know exactly how they feel.

Not only has society failed them, sadly we all have.

It will be wrong to say we, as people, do not care about what happens to the women in our society. For every man who commits rape, there are hundreds who do not.

How we are raising our voices to address the problem at hand may be questionable

but there are people who are looking for a solution.

The government does it through passing laws and trying to implement them; civil society organisations try to keep national discourse on violence against women at the forefront and never lets it take a backseat; development organisations form networks and alliances and try to complement the work of the government where there are perceived gaps in service.

BRAC does it through its network of more than 12,000 women-led, ward-level institutions called polli shomaj, where they actively seek out cases of violence against women, report to authority, and serve as shelter groups after incidents of violence.

But even after so many initiatives taken by everyone involved, the shocking situation in Bangladesh? The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshi women are still forced to deal with some form of sexual violence during their lifetime.

The advent of technology has given the perpetrators a new set of tools.

Social media and smartphones are the go-to avenues for these people to go to a whole new level of voyeurism and blackmailing.

The primary challenge in front of women’s rights advocates and people � ghting violence against women is not in� uencing the policy framework anymore, but to get men and women to see beyond the alleged negative connotation of the word “feminism.”

Feminism is all about the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Everything else is embellishment. Anyone can be a feminist in that way and make a contribution for a safer world for women.

I just want to end with an all-encompassing de� nition of violence against women: “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or su� ering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”

It’s the standard de� nition by UN and is surprisingly clear as far as o� cial de� nitions go. Why don’t you go to your bed tonight thinking about this de� nition and try to remember if you have ever done anything of that sort, regardless of your sexual identity? No one would hear your answer except you.

I hope you like what you hear. l

Rakib Avi is a communications manager at BRAC.

The concept and the reality

As a man, putting yourself in their shoes is not that di� cult: Just think about the most helpless situation you can ever be in -- without the the help of anyone -- and try thinking about the solution of the problem until you hit the proverbial wall

Let’s try and understand the reality of gender-based violence

We need to shatter the unequal power structure embedded within our society BIGSTOCK

Opinion14DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

n Farah Kabir

En route to Paris, I was thinking that ending poverty would necessitate a much more ambitious goal from global leaders. Arriving in Paris and

rushing straight to a side event on loss and damage was probably a good start to what was coming rest of the week.

I was able to learn from civil society groups that, initiated by Norway and joined by other developed countries, a group had shown reluctance to have “human rights” in the operative section of the agreement. “What? Why? What does it mean for gender equity, inclusiveness, inequality, climate-induced displacement?” were the thoughts that rushed through my mind.

At the side event, I was discussing the economic, non-economic, social, and cultural losses of the impacted communities in vulnerable countries, pushing for action on the existing agreements of COP. I was trying to argue that the additional rise in sea water levels and salt water intrusion would cause serious damage to livelihoods, with frequent disasters meaning having to move multiple times for the people in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, disrupting the education of their children, and perhaps even giving away daughters in child marriage, as they dropped further into poverty.

400,000 are displaced every year in Bangladesh. In most such developing countries, communities which have settled along rivers and coastlines are paying the highest price. I am not highlighting these points to guilt-trip anyone, but to remind the negotiators from rich countries of their responsibility, given their contribution to the current climate crisis.

We absolutely need to retain human rights in the language of the agreement, not just in

the preamble but across and in the operating sections, and thereby recognise the need to take human safety and dignity along with gender-related di� erences into cognisance. How would we even discuss or place our concerns at this COP given the many restrictions? Civil society is being kept at bay, with most sessions being closed o� .

If we had the opportunity to participate, we would be asking negotiators to stay focused on loss and damage, women and gender equity, and commit standalone work on it with adequate � nances. Rich countries need to stop shying away from discussions on compensation; developing countries are not interested in charity. Instead the collaboration is moving on to a sensible green pathway without depriving the poor of the right to graduate out of poverty.

It appears that COP21 is all about India and the US. In earlier COPs, we saw countries such as China being at centre-stage while others were merely bystanders. This is in no way to suggest that one is oblivious to the “path of development” chosen by China and India, a path that is increasing emissions at

alarming levels, but trying to hinge the Paris agreement on one or two countries is rather di� cult to swallow.

One consistent factor in all COPs is the US. Led by the US and joined by other developed countries that are refusing to set the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, or even meaningfully commit to the common but di� erentiated

responsibility, the negotiations are dragging. The emissions target should be at the core of all political commitments to address climate change.

There was immense celebration that countries had submitted there intended nationally determined commitments (INDC), which states the country’s ambition for reducing emissions, and it was becoming apparent that the INDCs are the most we can get at this point. Bangladesh emits 0.16 % (0.4 tons per capita), with Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malawi, Tuvalu, and Maldives claiming similarly low emission histories, yet they have started to plan and act. It is logical that all parties aim for the 1.5C or below 2C, for anything above that is proving catastrophic.

The Paris negotiations have not provided su� cient clarity on how developed countries would support developing countries in becoming more “green” in terms of development. Separate and additional � nances for adaptation should be agreed upon in Paris, and the $100bn should be allotted for adaptation at the earliest possible opportunity.

The mitigation target/ambition of the Paris agreement needs to be settled at 1.5C -- more than 100 countries are asking for it, after all. And I know that the LDCs are pushing for it. For the likes of the US, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela, to name a few, arguing to not set the goal at 1.5C is a result of their dependency on fossil fuels doing the talking. I am hoping that logic and pragmatism will prevail. The weaker the mitigation and adaptation e� orts, the more loss and damage climate-vulnerable communities will be made to go through.

The next few days proved further stressful when I found out that there were more brackets than words in the draft of the text that was being negotiated at COP. Interestingly, 2015 started with Sendai, where the framework for disaster risk reduction was agreed and signed by nations in March. However, much was pushed to SDG and the UNFCCC Paris climate agreement at that point.

In September, world leaders signed o� the SDGs for the next 15 years. Again, we saw climate change issues, targets, even discussion on � nances, pushed to Paris. Will the Paris Agreement deliver? We are watching and working to push the pro-poor agenda in this agreement, because there is no alternative for a sustainable planet. l

Farah Kabir is Country Director, ActionAid, Bangladesh.

Are we headed for change or tragedy?COP21 will have meant nothing if it doesn’t help the poor

The mitigation target/ambition of the Paris agreement needs to be settled at 1.5C -- more than 100 countries are asking for it, after all. And I know that the LDCs are pushing for it. For the likes of the US, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela, to name a few, arguing to not set the goal at 1.5C is a result of their dependency on fossil fuels doing the talking

The bigger nations drive the conversation at COP21 REUTERS

15D

TBusinessTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Indian industry group to launch � rst physical gold exchangeA bullion association in India is planning to launch the country’s � rst physical gold trading exchange, in an attempt to bring transparency to the market for the precious metal in the world’s second biggest consumer. PAGE 18

Don’t look back in anger: 10 market milestones of 2015From the Swiss franc’s record rise in January to the near certainty of a historic US interest rate hike in December, 2015 was a far more volatile year for � nancial markets than most predicted 12 months ago. PAGE 17

Sajeeb: ICT sector will supersede garment industryPM’s ICT A� airs Adviser Sajeed Wazed Joy said Bangladesh’s ICT sector exports would exceed $1bn in next � ve years and gradually supersede the garment industry. PAGE 16

Capital market snapshot: WednesdayDSE

Broad Index 4,587.4 -0.1% ▼

Index 1,104.8 -0.2% ▼

30 Index 1,743.9 -0.3% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk 3,814.1 -4.2% ▼

Turnover in Mn Volume 96.1 1.8% ▲

CSEAll Share Index 13,999.2 -0.2% ▼

30 Index 12,348.5 0.0% ▲

Selected Index 8,518.8 -0.2% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk 271.8 -9.8% ▼

Turnover in Mn Volume 9.1 -2.9% ▼

INSIDE

Padma bridge construction brings hey day for hundreds of local cos n Shohel Mamun

Around hundreds of locals companies are now in a long queue for supplying materials and technical assistance for Padma bridge construction project.

Apart from the local companies, two Chinese � rms -- Major Bridge Engineering Corporation (MBEC) and Sinohydro Corpo-ration, got appointed to build the main part of the Padma Bridge, which will connect Munhiganj and Shariatpur district.

More than 8,000 Bangladeshi workers are also working in the country’s larg-est-ever infrastructure project.

During a short visit to the construction sites at Mawa and in Kumarbagh village on December 7, the correspondent found that thousands of local workers are working under the supervision of local and foreign engineers.

The local companies include-Basund-hara Group, Crown Cement, KSRM Steel, Abdul Momen Limited and Modhapara Granite Company.

The companies are involved for sup-plying materials like sand, sand’s bag, soil, stones, cement, iron, wood, boat, helmet, uniforms, gloves, food, and construction instruments etc.

“China Major Bridge Engineering Corpo-ration (MBEC) and China’s Sino-hydro Corpo-ration have been drafted a total project plan. According their plan we will give them tech-nical support by providing construction in-strument and materials,” said Abdul Momen, managing director of Abdul Momen Compa-ny, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

In response to a query, he said, “So far I know several Bangladeshi organisations

will be involved in the gigantic work as per draft plan of the two Chinese companies.”

Basundhara Group has already set up several machines to mix sand, stone and cement for making the blocks to be used for river training works.

During a conversation, Jewel Rana, an operator of a mixture machine said, “A ma-chine can make 1700 block per day.”

Abdul Karim, a local businessman said, “Everyday, we are experiencing the great activities of the Padma bridge project and it seems that the site has become as the coun-try’s most important business hub.0”

According to some locals, the bridge is going to change the lives of people around the region.

Dewan Abdul Quader, executive engi-neer of Bangladeshi Bridge Authority, said, “It is indeed a huge activity as a number of local and foreign companies were involved in the project. They are not only working for their own bene� ts, but also for the country.”

Besides, the real estate developers’ sign-boards on the both sides of Dhaka– Mawa road and the riverbank give a di� erent ur-ban look in and around the project site.

Several eye-catching billboards of Moham-odia Housing Company, Swapno Chura, Priya Prangon were seen during the visit at Mawa.

More than 19 districts will be connect-ed if the bridge is constructed. The Padma multi-purpose bridge comes will add 1.23% to GDP growth. l

Work is underway to build the country’s largest ever infrastructure - Padma Bridge MEHEDI HASAN

In� ation slips to 9-month low n Tribune Report

Arrival of winter vegetables and decline of international food prices have pulled down in� ation further.

In November, the in� ation fell to 6.05%, a nine-month low � gure since January when it was 6.04%, said Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) report released yesterday.

The October in� ation was 6.19%. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal

said softening vegetable prices and con-tinued fall of oil and food prices on global market contribued to the further cooling of in� ation.

“If the supply chain re-mains undisrupted, in� ation could be stable or reduced in future,” he said while brief-ing on the monthly consum-er price index (CPI) at the NEC auditorium.

Overall month-to-month food in� ation declined to 5.72% in November from 5.89% in October.

The drop in food prices is primarily due to the seasonal e� ect — arrival of fresh win-ter vegetables.

BBS data showed that non-food in� ation fell to 6.56% in November from 6.67% in October. Overall in� ation in the urban areas decreased to 6.88% from 6.91% and in the rural areas, it was 5.61%, down from 5.82% during the period.

In urban areas, food in� ation was down 7.42% from 7.44% and non-food in� ation saw a fall of 6.29% from 6.33% during the period. l

3 DMDs, GM removed from BASIC Bank n Tribune Report

Three Deputy Managing Directors and a General Manager of scam-hit BASIC Bank was removed for their alleged involvement in � nancial irregularities.

The decision was made at a board meet-ing held on Tuesday, according to a source in BASIC Bank

Meanwhile, the bank served a termina-tion letter to all the four accused persons.

The sacked o� cers are- DMD Fazlus Sobhan, Md Ruhul Alam, Md Salim and GM Mahbubul Alam.

According to the bank’s board minutes, the sacked o� cials illegally spent Tk39 lakh from the bank’s fund just to support a writ petition � led by some other o� cials who were accused in the loan scam of the bank.

Though, the legal expenses were sup-posed to be borne by the accused o� cers, the whole expenditure was taken from the bank’s fund.

The removed four o� cials, in an investi-gation conducted by the bank, were found in-volving with these � nancial abnormalities. l

Business16DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Sajeeb Wazed: ICT sector will supersede garment industryn Tribune Report

PM’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed said Bangla-desh’s ICT sector exports would exceed $1bn in next � ve years and gradually supersede the garment industry.

The present earnings from ICT sector is $300m.

Sajeeb said the government has focused on creating IT entrepreneurs, IT experts, out-sourcing technicians and call-centre profes-sionals.

He was addressing the inauguration of a two-day Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Summit Bangladesh 2015 as chief guest at a city hotel yesterday.

The ICT Division, in association with Bangladesh Association of Call Centres and Outsourcing (BACCO), is hosting the event for the � rst time in Bangladesh. This is aimed at branding Bangladesh as an ideal place for investment and business management.

“ICT sector export has now stood at $300m from only $26m six years ago. Over 200,000 people are now involved with the � eld. But six years ago there were only a few thousand programmers in the country,” Sa-jeeb Wazed said.

“We now have a target to train 50,000 youth annually on ICT. Last year, we have trained around 30,000 youths, and from now onwards, 50,000 youths will be given with necessary training annually on ICT and soft-ware development.”

He said the BPO sector outsourcing earn-ing is now $100m and “we target to cross $1bn.” “The young workforce in BPO is now 25,000 and is expected to reach around 200,000 in next � ve years.”

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the government was trying to establish necessary ecosystem for the BPO system to draw maximum bene� t from the sector.

He said the government has set plans to bring 1,200 unions under the high-speed in-ternet connectivity by 2017 and 4,500 unions by 2018. “We will set up 554 BPO centres across the country.”

World Information Technology and Ser-vices Alliance (WITSA) Chairman Santiago Gutierrez said the IT industry in Bangladesh has the potential to drive the economy to that of a middle-income country.

“We would like to support your e� orts not in the BPO, but also in ICT through promot-ing success and progress across the world.”

Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Posts, Telecom-munications and Information Technology Imran Ahmad said it took 7-8 years for Philip-pines to earn $25bn annually from the sector and now contribution of the sector in its GDP is 10-12%.

ICT Division Secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder said the government was working to transform the labour-based economy into a merit-based one.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Abdul Matlub Ahmad said FBCCI invited Philip-pines businessmen to take a joint-venture

intiative in BPO in Bangladesh. He said they had agreed.

“BPO will do miracle in coming years. I am sure BPO will lead the economy in future,” he said.

BACCO President Ahmadul Hoq said the government needs to outsource citizen service delivery activities through IT and for making this, universities and educational institutions need to align with the BPO sector.

A total of 40 personalities in ICT sector from home and overseas will attend di� erent sessions in the summit.

Spot interviews for job seekers will be held at the summit while 200 students will get appointment letters to the call centres.

BPO is a growing sector worldwide with an industry worth over $500bn pent up de-mand. India, Sri Lanka and Philippines are currently leading the worldwide BPO indus-try with earnings of $80bn, $2bn and $16bn respectively. l

PM’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed visits di� erent stalls at the BPO Summit yesterday BSS

Banks warned against additional charges on ATM transaction n Tribune Report

Bangladesh Bank has warned the banks un-der National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB) not to take additional charges on in-terbank transaction.

Some banks are taking extra charge on ATM (Automated Teller Machine) and POS (Point of Sales) transactions which goes against their clients’ interest, said a circular Bangladesh Bank issued yesterday.

The circular warned the banks against charging extra on ATM transactions. It also instructed them to follow the circular related to interbank transactions properly. l

ADP spending remains lower in � ve months n Tribune Report

The pace of government’s spending on im-proving living condition of people remained very low in � rst � ve months of the current � scal year.

From July through November in FY2015-16, only 17% of the allocation for Annual De-velopment Programme (ADP) was used, ac-cording to the data of IMED (Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division).

The ADP expenditure rate was 20% during the same period a year ago.

“Heavy rain spoiled the development work in � rst three months. This mainly con-tinued to a� ect spending,” said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal at a press brief-ing at the NEC Conference room yesterday.

He, however, hoped that the development work will get impetus from next month.

Some Tk100,997 crore have been set aside for ADP in the budget for FY16. Of the amount, Tk16,957 crore was spent in � rst � ve months.

Of the amount used in the � rst � ve months of the current � scal year, Tk11,583 crore came from the government’s own fund, Tk4,684 crore from foreign aid and the rest from pub-lic entities’ own fund.

Usually, the rate of ADP implementation

hovered around 20% in the � rst � ve months of each � scal year, and then went at the fastest pace in the last quarter from March through June.

The power division, which got the highest allocation in the ADP, spent only 18% of its allotment.

The local government, which got the sec-ond highest allocation, used 27% in the � rst � ve months of its allocation.

The Bridges Division having a third most allocation in ADP because of Padma Bridge Project implemented only 13% of its share.

The Road Transport and Highway De-partment spent 27%, Railway Ministry 13%, Health and Family Welfare Ministry 16%, Pri-mary and Mass Education Ministry 21%, Edu-cation Ministry 17% and Agriculture Ministry 25% during the period of their annual devel-opment funds. l

‘Robust business plan must to draw investment in BPO’n Tribune Report

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) entre-preneurs have to come up with robust busi-ness plan including doing better liaison with buyers and building capacity to grab orders in a bid to draw investment from home and abroad, experts said yesterday.

They made the remarks at a session on “Entrepreneurship and Investment in BPO Industry” held mark on the occasion of a two-day Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Summit at a city hotel.

The ICT Division in association with Bang-ladesh Association of Call Centre and Out-sourcing (BACCO) is hosting the event for the � rst time in the country with an aim to brand Bangladesh as an ideal place for investment and business management.

“To attract investment in BPO sector, entrepreneurs must have a robust � nancial business plan and develop capacity,” said Mamunur Rashid, partner, PwC (Pricewater-houseCoopers).

He stressed the need for legal environ-ment, capacity building, political stability and business facilitation to attract reinvest-ment from local and global investors.

“If local people do not come up to invest, international investors will shy away from investment in the sector,” said Mamun.

He also urged local banks, insurance, tele-coms and other big industries to do their jobs through BPO to help boost the sector.

In his address, Adnan Imam, managing di-rector of Genex Infosys Limited, focused on challenges facing BPO in Bangladesh.

Lack of good workforce, infrastructure, high rent for land, cumbersome and lengthy regulatory framework are the barriers that the country needs to overcome, he observed.

Bangladesh has huge opportunity and potential to grow in the emerging sector of IT-related business, said Adnan.

K Mahmood Sattar, chairman RSA Adviso-ry Limited, moderated the session.

He said if Bangladesh fails to make a suit-able business plan and ensure perfect infra-structure for BPO, it will not be able to grab international contracts. l

‘Heavy rain spoiled the development work in � rst three months. This mainly continued to a� ect spending’

Business 17D

TTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

n Reuters, London

From the Swiss franc’s record rise in January to the near certain-ty of a historic US interest rate hike in December, 2015 was a far more volatile year for � nancial markets than most predicted 12 months ago.

Bond yields across Europe plunged well below zero, the Dow Jones fell 1,000 points in one day in August and turmoil in Chi-nese stocks turned a downturn across emerging markets into a rout. No fewer than 43 central banks eased policy.

While the direction of these moves may have surprised few observers, the scale, speed and depth caught most o� guard. This suggests a high degree of complacency permeated mar-kets throughout the year, although a lack of liquidity was often blamed.

Below are 10 key market milestones that de� ned the year.

1. Swiss franc rollOn January 15, the Swiss National Bank stunned markets by scrapping its three-year old cap on the franc at 1.2 per euro. The franc soared as much as 40%, with the euro hitting a record low of 0.85 francs.

2. Bund tantrumGerman bonds collapsed in May and June, a violent reversal from the previous year-long rally that had driven the 10-year yield to a record low 0.05% on April 17. The break below zero never hap-pened, and less than two months later it was almost back at 1%.

3. Sub-zero euro yieldsIt was dubbed the “Japani� cation” of the euro zone - a spiral of falling in� ation, ECB bond buying and falling bond yields. Some of the numbers are startling. Around 2tn euros worth of euro zone sovereign bonds, a third of all outstanding, now trade with a negative yield. German 2-year yield at -0.45% and yields on all German bonds out to 7 years maturity below zero. In Switzerland, 10-year yields fell to -0.41%.

4. The big easy2015 was the year of central bank largesse, despite the Fed mov-ing towards a rate hike. A total of 43 monetary authorities eased policy, including “serial easers” like China and Russia. The year was book ended by the ECB, announcing its 1tn euro program in January and extension in December. The drive to loosen policy revived talk of a global “currency war”.

5. China crisisWorries over China’s economy peaked in the summer, resulting in a 45% plunge in Chinese stocks, accelerated capital � ight and a record fall in FX reserves. Selling was fueled by the perception that Beijing was increasingly powerless to halt the tide despite taking a wide range of measures. Beijing devalued the yuan on August 11.

6. Submerging marketsThe combination of China’s travails, persistently weak commod-

Don’t look back in anger: 10 market milestones of 2015ity prices and the prospect of higher US interest rates was a “triple whammy” for emerging markets. Virtually no asset or country was spared, with net capital � ows to EM set to be negative for the � rst year since 1988. Some fared worse than others: The currencies of Brazil, South Africa and Tur-key fell to their lowest levels on record, and Brazil GDP had its biggest fall ever.

7. Grexit dramaGreece came closer than ever to crashing out of the euro, defaulting on an International Monetary Fund loan. A ref-erendum on a third international bailout was called in late June after the Syriza government called o� talks with cred-itors. Deep political turmoil ensued, � nance minister Yanis Varoufakis resigned and capital controls were introduced. A bailout was eventually agreed weeks later, but not be-fore 2-year Greek yields soared to 60 percent and volatility spread through world markets.

8. Dow’s summertime bluesOn August 24, the Dow Jones Industrials Average had its biggest fall in four years, plunging more than 1,000 points

at the open to eventually settle down 588 points on the day. It was the index’s eighth largest points fall ever. The trigger was the mounting concern over China - Shanghai stocks tumbled nearly 9% that day. In the space of a week, the Dow fell more than 10%.

9. Toxic trio triumph?A year ago, there weren’t too many investors piling into the bonds of Argentina, Venezuela and Ukraine. They weren’t called the “toxic trio” for nothing. But those who were brave enough have come up smelling of roses. Ukrainian bonds are the world’s best performers this year, returning almost 50%, and Venezuela and Argentina are number two and three.

10. Fed up ... FinallyAfter a few false starts - most notably the “Taper Tantrum” in May 2013 and September this year - the Fed has paved the way for the � rst rise in US interest rates since June 2006. “Lifto� ” looks certain to be December 16. Domestic and overseas markets have moved in advance. The dollar hit a 13-year high and the U.S. yield curve � attened, while Wall Street has struggled and emerging markets have slumped. l

Myanmar launches � edgling boursen AFP, Yangon

Myanmar o� cially launched its � rst modern stock exchange yes-terday, but without a single stock to trade, as the nation’s latest drive for economic revitalisation struggles to take � ight.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party swept elections last month, boosting con� dence in the former junta-run nation’s re-forms Myanmar’s launch of a bourse of its own marks an ambi-tious new stage in e� orts to ignite investment.

Crowds gathered Wednesday outside the elegant newly restored colonial-era building in the heart of Yangon to witness the stock market’s o� cial launch. But they were not listening for the toll of a trading bell because the exchange has yet to list a single � rm.

Delays in con� rming underwriting companies have pushed back the timeframe for initial public o� erings. l

Business18DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

CORPORATE NEWS

Delta Brac Housing Finance Corporation Ltd has recently held its 19th annual general meeting at a hotel in Dhaka. The company’s chairperson, Faruq A Choudhury was present on the occasion where the company’s shareholders approved 30% cash dividend for the year ending 30th June 2015, according to a press release

IDLC Finance Limited has recently promoted Md Jamal Uddin as the company’s deputy managing director, said a press release. Jamal was the company’s general manager, heading corporate and structured � nance division since 2006. Jamal Uddin started his career with IDLC in 1994 as a management trainee

Aviation Operators Association of Bangladesh (AOAB) has recently formed its third executive committee by electing 13 members with e� ect from December 7, 2015. Anjan Chowdhury (Square Air) and Masudur Rahman (Galaxy Airlines) were re-elected as the president and secretary general of the association

AB Bank Limited has recently signed an agreement with Runner Motors Ltd to facilitate payments and collections of the company.  The bank’s MD, Shamim Ahmed Chaudhury and chairperson of Runner Group Ltd, Ha� zur Rahman Khan have signed the agreement

Indian industry group to launch � rst physical gold exchangen Reuters, Mumbai

A bullion association in India is planning to launch the country’s � rst physical gold trad-ing exchange, in an attempt to bring trans-parency to the market for the precious metal in the world’s second biggest consumer.

The Mumbai-based India Bullion and Jew-ellers Association (IBJA), a group consisting of gold dealers, traders and jewellers, is talk-ing with industry o� cials about launching the exchange next year.

A dedicated physical gold exchange could lead to standard gold pricing in India, and could also bring transparency to a market which can involve large cash transactions.

“We are planning to launch the exchange in six months,” Ketan Shro� , an IBJA spokes-

man told Reuters. “Discussions are going on regarding its structure and ownership.”

The exchange, which will start with two to three delivery centres for gold and silver, will help the government to monitor gold trade, he said.

Last week, India’s economic a� airs secre-tary Shaktikanta Das � oated the idea of set-ting up a national gold exchange.

India’s push for an exchange follows the gold monetisation and sovereign bond schemes launched last month designed to mobilise the country’s gold hoard and reduce imports of the precious metal which are ex-acerbating the trade de� cit.

A physical exchange is likely to mean jew-ellers, retailers, re� ners and banks can trade over a regulated platform.

The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) and National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) o� er gold futures contracts in India, but there is no platform for physical trade.

“There is a need for an exchange that will cater to small jewellers’ demand,” said Ku-mar Jain, vice president of the Mumbai Jew-ellers Association.

“Sometimes we need to pay hefty premi-ums. That won’t happen as demand-supply will become transparent on exchange platform.”

China, the top gold consumer, runs such a bourse, where all domestic production and imported gold has to be bought and sold.

Shro� said IBJA was looking for partners to launch the Indian exchange as an anchor in-vestor, or promoter, cannot hold more than a 26 percent stake in a commodity exchange. l

Downtime20DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

DILBERT

How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

CODE-CRACKER

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a di� erent letter of the alphabet. For example, today 11 represents C so � ll C every time the � gure 11 appears.You have one letter in the control grid to start you o� . Enter it 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

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21D

TWorldTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Merkel Time’s ‘Person of the Year’, Baghdadi among runners-up Time magazine Wednesday named German Chancellor Angela Merkel as its “Person of the Year 2015,” hailing her leadership during Europe’s debt, refugee and migrant crises, as well as Russia’s intervention in Ukraine. PAGE 23

UN: Data shows high education among Syrian refugeesThe vast majority of Syrian refugees arriving in Greece may be highly educated, including a signi� cant number of students, according to new UN data. PAGE 24

British review calls for urgent cuts to antibiotic use in livestockMassive use of antibiotics in farming poses a critical threat to global public health and should be reduced dramatically to an internationally-agreed target, according to a British government-commissioned review. PAGE 24

Trump faces global scorn over call for Muslim bann AFP, Washington, DC

Donald Trump dismissed criticism at home and abroad Tuesday over his “grossly irre-sponsible” call to bar Muslims from enter-ing the United States, as the White House branded him un� t to lead.

Trump, the leading candidate for the Re-publican presidential nomination, made the provocative remarks -- just his latest on a range of topics on the campaign trail -- after last week’s shooting that left 14 dead in Cal-ifornia by a Muslim couple said to have been radicalised.

The bombastic 69-year-old billionaire real estate mogul was unrepentant Tues-day, even as criticism rained down from the White House and as far a� eld as Ottawa, London and Cairo, where Egypt’s o� cial religious body Dar al-Iftaa denounced his “extremist and racist” comments.

The strongest reaction came in the US, where White House spokesman Josh Ear-nest said Trump’s proposals were unconsti-tutional and challenged the mogul’s fellow Republicans to denounce him.

Trump, whose comments were extreme even by his populist standards, was simi-larly lambasted by leading Republicans and campaign rivals.

Trump was the “ISIL man of the year,” thundered Senator Lindsey Graham, refer-ring to his belief that Trump was succeeding only in fueling the radical ideology of the

Islamic State group.Other Republican contenders lined up to

reject Trump’s proposal.Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presiden-

tial frontrunner, said Trump was playing “right into the hands of terrorists”.

Complete distortionZeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN High Com-missioner for Human Rights, said Trump’s comments could “lead to the victimisation of the innocent” by extremists.

“It is grossly irresponsible, given the aim of these extremists, to play into their hands at the expense of the vast majority of ordi-nary Muslims.”

Trump showed little inclination to back down, instead comparing the proposed ban to actions taken by Franklin Roosevelt

against Japanese and German “enemy aliens” during World War II, though he stopped short of advocating internment camps.

Asked by ABC News whether he was con-cerned about being increasingly compared to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, Trump said “No, because what I’m doing is no di� erent than FDR.”

Even “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling weighed in, saying he was worse than the notorious villain in her blockbuster books.

“How horrible. Voldemort was nowhere near as bad,” she tweeted.

The British government was similarly un-impressed.

Amid the uproar, Trump announced on Twitter that he would travel to Israel by year’s end, but that he would not be visiting Jordan at this time, as earlier reported.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, more than 130,000 people had signed Wednesday a pe-tition to ban Trump from Britain.

Having topped 100,000 signatures, the petition now has to be considered for de-bate by parliament and will require a written government response.

The petition was part of a social media storm after Trump said that radicalisation meant there parts of London where the po-lice feared for their lives.

Tweeting under the ironic hashtag #trumpfacts, web users mocked the bluster-ing tycoon. l

A Vietnam War veteran is seen holding a placard denouncing Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump in Georgia on November 30 REUTERS

Harry Potter author JK Rowling said Donald Trump was worse than the notorious villain Lord Voldemort in her blockbuster books

Advertisement22DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

WorldSOUTH ASIADozens killed in Taliban attack on Afghan airportDozens of people were killed in � ghting at the airport Kandahar after an overnight attack by Taliban insurgents, o� cials said on Wednesday. With � nal mopping up opera-tions continuing late on Wednesday after-noon in Kandahar, 37 civilians and members of Afghan security forces had been killed and 35 wounded. In addition, 9 Taliban were killed and another wounded with a � nal sur-vivor still resisting security forces. -REUTERS

INDIASushma Swaraj: High-level talks between India-Pakistan to resumeIndia will resume high-level talks with rival Pakistan, the Indian foreign minister said on Wednesday. The last meeting in the process known as ‘Bilateral Dialogue’ was in Sep-tember 2012. Hopes of progress rose recently after the national security advisers from both sides met in Bangkok last weekend. -REUTERS

CHINAChina to grant residence rights to 13m unregistered citizensChina will give household registration permits to its unregistered citizens, the government said on Wednesday, opening access to basic rights such as schooling and healthcare for about 13m people. House-hold registration - or “hukou” - is required if a person wishes to marry, open a bank account, take out medical insurance and get access to basic education. But many Chinese have been locked out of the system because their births � outed China’s strict one-child policy, or they were orphans or homeless. -REUTERS

ASIA PACIFICMongolia praised for abolishing death penaltyThe United Nations’ top human rights o� cial praised Mongolia Wednesday for abolishing the death penalty, after the sparsely popu-lated Asian country approved a new criminal code eliminating executions. The measure was passed by the State Great Hural, Mon-golia’s parliament, last week, after extended debate. Mongolia’s President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj is an abolitionist and halted executions after he came to power in 2010, using his presidential authority to commute condemned prisoners’ sentences. -AFP

MIDDLE EASTTrilateral Syria talks in Geneva on FridayRussia said Moscow, Washington and the UN will hold Syria talks in Geneva on Friday as diplomatic e� orts to end the con� ict are ratch-eted up. “We will be having consultations in the trilateral format -- Russia, the United States and the UN,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told RIA Novosti state news agency on Wednesday. UN peace envoy Staf-fan de Mistura is set to take part in the talks aimed at ending a brutal war that has killed more than 250,000 people and forced millions from their homes since March 2011. -AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 201523

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Another Paris attacker identi� edn Reuters, Paris

The third man who attacked the Bataclan concert hall in Paris on November 13 has been identi� ed as a 23-year-old French national who went to Syria two years ago, according to o� cials involved in the inquiry into the multiple attacks on the French capital.

Investigators identi� ed Foued Mo-hamed-Aggad as one of three gunmen who killed 90 people at the Bataclan after his mother told them that she had been in-formed of his death by text message from Syria, a lawyer for the dead man’s family said.

Two of the three attackers killed them-selves by exploding their suicide vests and another was shot dead by police.

O� cials have yet to put names to all of eight dead gunmen and suicide bombers directly involved in last month’s attacks, for which Islamic State, a militant group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility.

They managed to identify Mohamed-Ag-gad after being alerted by his mother and then matching her DNA to his.

Mohamed-Aggad went to Syria in late 2013 with a gang of others from his neigh-bourhood in an area outside the eastern French city of Strasbourg. Seven of the group were arrested in May 2014 after returning to France.

It remained unclear when and how Mo-hamed-Aggad returned to France, where intelligence services are under scrutiny over their monitoring of the movements of home-grown jihadists.

His older brother Karim, who also went to Syria, is in jail in France, the o� cials said.

The other two attackers at the concert hall have been named as Samy Amimour and Is-mail Omar Mostefai. Another attacker, Salah Abdeslam is still on the run. l

Merkel Time’s ‘Person of the Year’, Baghdadi among runners-up n AFP, New York

Time magazine Wednesday named Ger-man Chancellor Angela Merkel as its “Per-son of the Year 2015,” hailing her leader-ship during Europe’s debt, refugee and migrant crises, as well as Russia’s inter-vention in Ukraine.

“For asking more of her country than most politicians would dare, for stand-ing firm against tyranny as well as expe-dience and for providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply, Angela Merkel is Time’s Person of the Year,” wrote editor Nancy Gibbs.

Time named Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State extremist group, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, America’s Black Lives Matter activ-ists campaigning against inequality against African Americans and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as its runners up.

The magazine said the German chan-cellor had “stepped in” every time a seri-ous crisis had threatened European state-craft this year.

“The prospect of Greek bankruptcy threatened the very existence of the euro zone. The migrant and refugee crisis chal-lenged the principle of open borders. And finally, the carnage in Paris revived the reflex to slam doors, build walls and trust no one,” Gibbs wrote.

“Each time Merkel stepped in. Germa-ny would bail Greece out, on her strict terms. It would welcome refugees as casualties of radical Islamist savagery, not carriers of it.

“And it would deploy troops abroad in the fight against ISIS... You can agree with her or not, but she is not taking the easy road. Leaders are tested only when peo-ple don’t want to follow.”

A pastor’s daughter who grew up be-hind the Iron Curtain, the 61-year-old Merkel made an unprecedented jour-ney to become chancellor, in power for 10 years, and the world’s most powerful woman. l

‘Russia trying to carry out ethnic cleansing in Syria’s Latakia’ n Reuters, Istanbul

Russia is trying to carry out “ethnic cleans-ing” in Syria’s northern Latakia province, forcing its Turkmen and Sunni population out to create a safe haven and protect Rus-sian and Syrian bases, Turkish Prime Minis-ter Ahmet Davutoglu said.

“Russia is trying to make ethnic cleansing in northern Latakia to force all Turkmen and Sunni population who do not have good re-lations with the regime, they want to expel them, they want to ethnically cleanse this area so that regime and Russian bases in Latakia and Tartus are protected,” he told members of the foreign media in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The latest salvo of words came after Russia’s Rosatom has stopped construc-tion work at Turkey’s � rst nuclear power plant, Turkish energy o� cials con� rmed on Wednesday, as relations between Moscow and Ankara continue to worsen after the downing of a Russian jet.

State-owned Rosatom has not terminat-

ed the contract for the building of the $20bn project and is reluctant to do so because of the heavy compensation clauses, energy o� cials said. However, Turkey is already assessing other potential candidates for the project, the o� cials said.

The possible cancellation of the project is unlikely to have any impact on Turkey’s immediate energy supplies, as the planned nuclear power plant was not seen coming online before 2022 and had already run into delays due to regulatory hurdles and Mos-cow’s � nancial woes.

Keen to wean itself o� an almost com-plete dependence on imported energy, Tur-key in 2013 commissioned Rosatom to build four-1,200MW reactors.

Rosatom declined to comment on Wednesday while a source at the Akkuyu project company said was unaware of a halt in construction.

Moscow and Ankara have been at log-gerheads since Turkey downed a Russian warplane along the Turkey-Syria border two

weeks ago saying it violated its air space, the most serious incident between Russia and a Nato member state in half a century.

Moscow responded by economic sanc-tions, cancellation of visa-free travel and blamed Turkish leadership of being com-plicit in illegal oil trade with Islamic State.

Akkuyu is the latest casualty of sour relations, as Russia last week said it has suspended preparatory work on the Turk-Stream pipeline project.

Turkish energy o� cials said if Russia pulls out, there were other candidates for the project.

“There are prominent countries which are keen on this project,” another energy o� cial said. “Turkey has plans for a third nuclear power plant as well. Obviously this political situation makes it di� cult for Rus-sia to be the one building it.”

The Turkish government in 2013 picked a Japanese-French consortium to build a sec-ond nuclear power plant, a project expected to cost an estimated $22bn. l

Europe talks tough on refugee strategiesn Reuters, Brussels

Germany and France have proposed giving an EU border force the power -- in theory at least -- to patrol Greece’s frontiers uninvited by Ath-ens in the latest sign of hardening attitudes to-wards solving Europe’s migration crisis.

The proposal, in a letter sent last week to the EU executive in Brussels on Tues-day, would in principle apply to any mem-ber state, not just Greece. But it is driven by frustration that Greek failure to control large numbers arriving by sea is putting the EU’s open-borders Schengen zone at risk.

EU leaders, struggling for unity and facing competing pressures at home, will again dis-cuss the crisis at a summit on December 17.

A draft of conclusions for the summit speaks of “rapidly” � xing failings in border control and of “measures to discourage re-fusal of registration” by refugees -- the clos-est o� cial EU language has come to calling for the use of force and detention.

Talk of “Europeanising” frontier defence is also growing.

“In exceptional circumstances, Fron-tex should be able to deploy rapid reaction teams to the frontiers on its own initiative

and under its own responsibility,” the French and German interior ministers, Bernard Ca-zeneuve and Thomas de Maiziere, wrote to the European Commission last Thursday.

Frontex is the EU agency that coordi-nates border management.

The Commission is likely to put forward such a plan next week, EU o� cials say, as part of a package of measures on December 15. It would include a new European Border and Coastguard Agency which could be deployed without a request from the state in question. Frontex currently needs an invitation.

The proposals by Cazeneuve and de Mai-ziere, who also said Italy and Greece must keep all refugees in “reception centres” for “as long as necessary” to check their claims, were made on a day when Athens was under huge pressure to invite Frontex forces in or face being e� ectively suspend-ed from the Schengen zone.

A French government source said the letter was not intended to promote new EU measures but to stress a need to implement what has already been agreed. The source said: “It’s a political push that says: ‘We’re now at the time for making decisions and this has to be implemented very quickly’.” l

WorldUSAUS House passes bill to tighten visa waiver programmeThe US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to tighten restrictions on travel to the US by citizens of 38 nations who are allowed to enter the country without obtaining a visa. The measure would require visitors from the visa waiver countries, which include much of western Europe, to obtain a visa to travel to the Us if they had been to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan during the past five years. -REUTERS

THE AMERICASBrazil’s Supreme Court suspends Rousse� impeachmentBrazil’s beleaguered President Dilma Rousse� won a respite in her battle to avoid impeachment when the Supreme Court or-dered the commission considering her case suspended for a week. At the end of a day of political drama and chaos on Tuesday, the court in Brasilia suspended the special commission that had just been formed to recommend to Congress whether Rousse� should be removed from o� ce. The suspen-sion, made in response to an appeal from the Communist Party of Brazil is in e� ect until next Wednesday when the court will meet to make a ruling. -AFP

UKUK police campaign targets hackers as young as 12Britain’s National Crime Agency on Tuesday launched a campaign to discourage youngsters from becoming hackers after it found the aver-age age of suspects had plummeted to 17. The NCA’s #CyberChoices campaign targets parents of boys aged 12-15 who may be involved in cyber-crime without their knowledge. -AFP

EUROPERussia to sue Ukraine if defaults on $3bn debtPresident Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered his government to sue Ukraine if the ex-Soviet republic defaults on its $3bn debt to Russia. “Go ahead, take it to court,” Putin told Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at a government meeting while discussing the loan given to former Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych in 2013, which must be repaid this month. The dispute has been hampering the International Monetary Fund’s $17.5bn rescue plan for Ukraine. -AFP

AFRICAUN: Over 170,000 � ee Yemen warMore than 170,000 people have � ed war-torn Yemen for the Horn of Africa and the Gulf, the UN said Wednesday, as they appealed for $94m in aid. Thousands have been killed and the impoverished nation plunged into profound humanitarian crisis since March, amid battles between pro-government forces supported by Saudi-led air strikes and Iran-backed rebels. Inside Yemen, an estimated 80% of people need aid, including 2.3m forced from their homes, the UN said. -AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 201524D

T

British review calls for urgent cuts to antibiotic use in livestockn Reuters, London

Massive use of antibiotics in farming poses a critical threat to global public health and should be reduced dramatically to an inter-nationally-agreed target, according to a Brit-ish government-commissioned review.

Agreeing and implementing a global target for agricultural antibiotic use won’t be easy, the review, led by former Gold-

man Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill, said, but is vital if life-saving medicines designed to � ght bacterial infections are to be kept e� ective, both for animals and for people.

The review suggested that following ex-amples of Denmark and the Netherlands could make a swift, signi� cant di� erence.

Denmark has an average of less than 50mg of antibiotics used a year per kg of

livestock, which O’Neill said “may be a good starting point for such a target”.

“Denmark has shown that a very pro-ductive farming industry can be sustained alongside relatively low levels of antibiotic use,” the review said.

International alarm about the superbug threat is rising after the discovery in China of a gene called mcr-1 that makes bacteria resistant to all known antibiotics. l

Can occur with any microorganism such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasitesThe rise of drug resistant bugs

Antimicrobials can inadvertently “select” the mutations that withstand them

Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is one of the reasonsdrug resistance is a growing threat

Drug 1

Drug 2

Drug 3

Originalparasite

Multi-drugresistantparasite

The successfulmutation thenmultiplies,new mutationsoccur

The processrepeats asdi�erent drugsare used

By chancea mutationmay allow amicrobe toresist a drug

Randommutationsoccur naturally

E.Coli -- a common but

potentially deadly bacteria

Source: WHO/Smithsonian Institute/malaria.wellcome.ac.uk/nih/Nature/Lancet

Antibiotic given to farm animals tokeep them healthy,promote growth

1

Same antibioticgiven to humanshas no e�ect as the pathogen is already immune

5

Humans infectedby bacteria a�erconsumption of infected meat

4

Mutated form of bacteria resists antibiotic, contaminates meat

3Antibiotic protects animal against known strains of bacterial infection

2

Resistant forms can pass on their resistance to other microbes

interact

Resistant

ResistancemultipliesUnresistant

Resistant

UN: Data shows high education among Syrian refugeesn AFP, Geneva

The vast majority of Syrian refugees arriving in Greece may be highly educated, including a signi� cant number of students, according to new UN data.

The UN refugee agency released a provi-sional pro� le of those who have made the treacherous journey across the Mediter-ranean Sea after � eeing Syria’s civil war, based on questionnaires given to 1,245 peo-ple who landed in Greece between April and September.

The agency stressed that the data was not collected through random sampling and cannot be used to make general statements applicable to the entire Syrian refugee com-munity in Europe.

But a full 86% of those who took the ques-tionnaire said they had secondary school ed-ucation or higher.

About 63% said they had left Syria in 2015, while 85% said they successfully made it to Greece on their � rst try.

“Student” was the most common pro-fession listed by the 1,139 people who re-sponded to that question -- at 16% -- with merchant and trader the next most com-mon responses. l

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TSport

LVG has no defence against critics after United � opn Reuters

Manager Louis van Gaal says he cannot de-fend himself after coming in for fresh crit-icism following Manchester United’s early Champions League exit.

United dropped into the Europa League after losing 3-2 at VfL Wolfsburg in their � nal Group B � xture on Tuesday and the manager was once again � ayed by former players for his team’s limp performance.

“At the moment I cannot defend my-self because we are out of the Champions League,” Van Gaal told a post-match news conference. “Every word I say is wrong. But when you see the facts, we were further in the (League) Cup (than last season), quali-� ed for the Champions League group, we

have played all these matches and are still in a very good position in the league.

“We are better than last year. That’s my answer because I can only give facts. I’m also disappointed that we are out of the Champions League.”

Anthony Martial put United in front in Germany but centre back Naldo equalised and Wolfsburg took the lead before halftime through mid� elder Vieirinha, who � nished o� a slick passing move with a tap in.

United clawed their way back thanks to Josuha Guilavogui’s late own goal but Nal-do struck again to seal the win, while Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven beat CSKA Mos-cow 2-1 in the other group � xture to ad-vance at the Premier League side’s expense.

“It was a crazy match,” Van Gaal said. l

United crash outUnited didn’t go out with a whimper. They � red 16 shots at Wolfsburg’s goal, disputed a disal-lowed equaliser, sparked late drama and, after all of that, twists and turns in the match between PSV and CSKA Moscow appeared to have thrown quali� cation in their favour. But, with the � nal whistle, Louis van Gaal’s side are bound for the Europa League after � nishing third in their group.

Lingard goal rightly ruled outJesse Lingard looked to have pulled United level at 2-2 on the stroke of half-time when his long-range shot drifted in at the far corner. The youngster wheeled away in celebration, only for the linesman to eventually � ag for o� side against Juan Mata.

Europa League impactA third-place � nish in the group means Manchester United enter Europe’s second competition at the round-of-32 stage in Feb-ruary. Their Thursday night duties will a� ect their Premier League and FA Cup � xtures and Gale reckons the contest could have a negative impact on a potential title challenge.

Not so boring Man Utd?United did at least o� er more in an attacking sense against Wolfsburg than they have done recently. Anthony Martial found the net after scoring just once in his previous 16 games for club and country, Memphis Depay whipped a � ne free-kick inches wide of the upright as United searched for an equaliser and blocks from Marcel Schafer and Christian Trasch in quick succession denied goal-bound e� orts from Chris Smalling and Lingard late on. l

INSIDETHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Sylhet keep Dhaka waiting in race for Top 4Sylhet Super Stars kept alive their hopes of securing a top-four spot when they registered a nervy six-wicket victory over Dhaka Dynamites in the BPL T20 yesterday. Requiring 10 runs from the eventful � nal over at Mirpur’s SBNS, makeshift captain Afridi � nished things o� with two huge sixes o� Farhad Reza. PAGE 26

Dhawan reported for suspect bowling actionIndia opener Shikhar Dhawan, who occasionally bowls o� -spin, has been reported for a suspect action during the recent fourth Test against South Africa, the ICC said yesterday. India captain Virat Kohli called on Dhawan to bowl just three overs during South Africa’s second innings in New Delhi. PAGE 27

Ronaldo sets goals record for group stageCristiano Ronaldo set a record for goals scored in the group stage of the Champions League of 11 when he netted four against Malmo on Tuesday. He made it 3-0 to Real six minutes before halftime at the Bernabeu and added three more goals in the 47th, 50th and 59th minutes. PAGE 28

Baz ‘comfortable’ with Cairns trial evidenceNew Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is “very comfortable” with the evidence he gave against former all-rounder Chris Cairns, who was found not guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice in a trial last month. Cairns had been accused of falsely claiming he had never cheated at cricket. PAGE 29

TALKING POINTS

Manchester United players look dejected after Wolfsburg’s Naldo (unseen) scored the third goal during their Uefa Champions League match at Volkswagen-Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany on Tuesday REUTERS

Manchester United have failed to qualify from the Champions League group stage on four occasions - 94/95, 05/06, 11/12 and this season.

Former United favourite Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more goals (11) than his ex-club (7) in their CL campaign.

United have won only one of their last 10 away games in the CL (5-0 v Bayer Leverkusen, November 2013), drawing four and losing � ve.

Anthony Martial ended a run of 690 minutes without a goal in all competitions for United.

Since his debut in January 2014, Juan Mata has provided more assists in all comps for United than any other (14).

BPL 201526DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

CHITTAGONG VIKINGS INNINGS R BAnamul Haque† b Sohag Gazi 28 18TM Dilshan* c †Rony b Al-Amin 28 22Yasir Ali c Sabbir Rahman b Cooper 11 11Umar Akmal c †Rony b Sami 25 30BMAJ Mendis lbw b Mahmudullah 3 7Naeem Islam c †Rony b Cooper 4 9Asif Ahmed c †Rony Talukdar b Sami 17 14Bilawal Bhatti not out 9 9Extras (b 3, lb 5, w 2) 10Total (7 wickets; 20 overs; 97 mins) 135

Bowling Mohammad Sami 4-0-31-2, Al-Amin Hossain 4-0-31-1, KK Cooper 4-0-24-2, Sohag Gazi 4-0-17-1, Taijul Islam 3-0-19-0, Mahmudullah 1-0-5-1BARISAL BULLS INNINGS R BCH Gayle not out 92 47Rony Talukdar† run out (Dilshan) 1 2Mehedi Maruf b Taskin Ahmed 18 18Mahmudullah* not out 19 25Extras (lb 5, w 4, nb 2) 11Total (2 wickets; 15 overs) 141

BowlingTM Dilshan 3-0-16-0, Bilawal Bhatti 3-0-26-0, Sha� ul Islam 2-0-12-0, Naeem Islam 2-0-14-0, Taskin Ahmed 3-0-23-1, Asif Ahmed 1-0-19-0, BMAJ Mendis 1-0-26-0

Result: Barisal Bulls won by 8 wickets Player of the match: Chris Gayle

CHV v BB

DHAKA DYNAMITES INNINGS R BYasir Shah c Shahid b Razzak 8 18Farhad Reza c Mush� q b Bopara 31 28Hafeez c Mominul b Razzak 8 6KC Sangakkara b Shahid 48 35Nasir Hossain c Cobb b Rubel 31 23MN Waller not out 13 6Mosaddek Hossain not out 13 4Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 157FoW: 1-28, 2-48, 3-55, 4-124, 5-144BowlingTanvir 4-0-32-0, Shahid 4-0-33-1, Afridi3-0-25-0, Razzak 2-0-9-2, Bopara 2-0-13-1, Rubel 3-0-28-1, Cobb 2-0-15-0SYLHET SUPER STARS INNINGS R BJJ Cobb run out (Sangakkara) 15 17Junaid Siddique c Waller b Yasir 51 44RS Bopara c Waller b Farhad 55 40Sohail Tanvir b Farhad 19 11Shahid Afridi not out 15 7Mush� qur Rahim not out 1 1Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 1) 6Total (4 wickets; 19.5 overs) 162FoW: 1-36, 2-122, 3-139, 4-149Bowling Nabil 3-0-22-0, Abul 4-0-38-0, Musta� zur 4-0-14-0, Mosharraf 2-0-21-0, Yasir 3-0-20-1, Farhad 3.5-0-42-2

Sylhet won by 6 wicketsMoM: Ravi Bopara (Sylhet)

DD v SSS Sylhet keep Dhaka waiting in race for Top 4n Mazhar Uddin

Sylhet Super Stars kept alive their hopes of securing a top-four spot when they regis-tered a nervy six-wicket victory over Dhaka Dynamites in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 yesterday.

Requiring 10 runs from the eventful � -nal over at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, makeshift captain Shahid Afridi � nished things o� with two huge sixes o� Farhad Reza. Sylhet’s impetus however, was provided earlier by English all-rounder Ravi Bopara and national discard Junaid Siddique, who both smashed half-centuries. Afridi lat-er put the � nishing touch to guide the Super Stars to their target of 158 with only the last ball of the 20th over remaining.

With Comilla Victorians, Rangpur Riders and Barisal Bulls already sealing a play-o� berth, all the attention will now automati-cally shift to today’s � nal round of matches when the Super Stars face the Victorians and the Dynamites take on the Bulls.

“I do not know about the other games but we have a match against Barisal Bulls [today]. What I know is if we can beat Barisal then we will qualify for the [play-o� s]. So, we are not thinking about the other team and whether they win or lose,” Dhaka’s icon cricketer Na-sir Hossain informed after the game.

28-year-old Junaid, who dispatched the Dhaka bowlers during his stay and was involved in an 89-run partnership with Bopara, on the other hand is still hopeful of their chances.

“We had a terrible start to the tournament. Lost couple matches by one run, then by six runs. We were thinking we needed a team cardiologist (laughs) because we almost had heart attacks. Winning is important, let’s see

what happens in the next match,” said the Rajshahi-born opening batsman.

Earlier, Dhaka, asked to bat � rst, posted a competitive 157/5 in 20 overs, riding yet again on the back of a � ne knock by their skipper Kumar Sangakkara.

The Lankan legend made a quick� re 48, and alongside Nasir, added 69 crucial runs for the fourth wicket. l

POINTS TABLETeams Mat Won Lost Pts

Rangpur 10 7 3 14

Comilla 9 6 3 12

Barisal 9 6 3 12

Dhaka 9 4 5 8

Sylhet 9 3 6 6

Chittagong 10 2 8 4

West Indian Chris Gayle pulls Bilawal Bhatti (not in picture) single-handedly for a six over sqaure-leg during Barisal Bulls’ BPL encounter against Chittagong Vikings at SBNS yesterday. The Caribbean hammered his � rst meaningful contribution for Barisal, an unbeaten 92 o� just 47 deliveries MI MANIK

‘Gayle-storm’ hits Mirpurn Mazhar Uddin

West Indian big-hitter Chris Gayle was quiet in his � rst two matches for Barisal Bulls in the third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20. Many Bangladesh fans were wondering how long it would take for the giant Jamaican to truly announce his grand arrival.

They did not have to wait long however as Gayle hammered a blistering 47-ball 92 yesterday to propel the Bulls to a convincing eight-wicket win over Chittagong Vikings at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

In pursuit of the Vikings’ 135/7, the Bulls romped home in just 15 overs with Gay-le remaining unbeaten alongside captain Mahmudullah, who made 19 o� 25 balls. The marauding Gayle blasted nine huge sixes to go with his half a dozen boundaries as the Bulls took their points tally to 12 from nine outings.

“It’s good to be among runs, guys have been playing good cricket. I didn’t score in last two games and it was crucial. It was bet-ter wicket [yesterday], ball was coming on to the bat, not much spin though, we should be prepared for the next games,” said Gayle in the post-match press conference.

Barisal skipper Mahmudullah also ex-pressed his delight with the comprehensive win. “Bowlers did very well, the Vikings started well and our bowlers bowled very well too. It was great pleasure batting with Gayle. I think it’s good to be on winning way, Chris batted very well and showed his class,” said Mahmudullah.

The Vikings on the other hand ended their disappointing campaign at the bottom with just four points from their full quota of 10 matches and their Sri Lanka. l

Shahid Afridi sweeps for a six to take Sylhet

Super Stars home during their BPL match against

Dhaka Dynamites at SBNS yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Sport 27D

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Agrani Bank lead ChampionshipAgrani Bank Sports Club moved solely at the top of the Bangladesh Championship League after a convincing 3-1 win over Victoria SC at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Shuvo put Victoria ahead in the 13th minute but Agrani staged a comeback in the 41st minute when they brought parity through Jayed. Zul� ker and Arif netted one apiece in the 63rd and 71st minutes to salvage all three points for Agrani and take their side to the summit of the points table. Agrani now have nine points from four matches while Victoria are yet to win a game after three draws in their � rst three outings.

–TRIBUNE REPORT

BGB seal 20th handball titleBorder Guard Bangladesh continued their dominance in the handball arena as they emerged as the champions of the Exim Bank 25th Na-tional Men’s Handball Championship 2015 after beating Bangladesh Police 35-29 in what was an extremely competitive � nal yesterday. BGB have now claimed their 20th consecutive national handball title; the � rst arriving way back in 1989 when they were named Bangla-desh Ri� es. On the contrary, Police have been a common � nalist along with BGB in the last two decades. Yesterday was the 11th time they � nished as the runners-up side. Meer Khairuzzaman and Sudhan Barua scored eight and � ve goals respectively for the champions. Meanwhile in the third/fourth-place deciding match, Bangladesh Ansar defeated Chittagong District 36-26.

–TRIBUNE REPORT

Bangladesh U12s draw, U13s lose in Super Mokh CupBangladesh Under-12 football team were held to a goalless draw by Malaysian out� t Jeonsa in their third match of the 2015 Super Mokh Cup at Bukit Jalil Sports Centre Field in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The U-13 side meanwhile, conceded a 2-0 loss at the hands of Japanese side Gamba Osaka at the same ground. Following their stalemate, Bangladesh U-12 head coach Mostofa Anwar Parvez Babu said, “[Yes-terday] the boys played very well compared to the last two matches. Still, they missed a lot of chances. We are preparing ourselves to win the next game.”

–TRIBUNE REPORT

Ponting urges day-night Test for struggling HobartFormer Australia captain Ricky Ponting yesterday said a day-night match could help secure Hobart’s status as a Test host and rounded on “unfair” criticism of the Tasmanian capital. Speculation has risen over Hobart’s future as a Test venue amid fears that just 10,000 fans will attend the � rst four days of the � rst Test against the West Indies, starting today. Hobart has hosted 11 Tests since its � rst against Sri Lanka in 1989, but the city is not on the annual rota of Test venues like the mainland Australian capital cities.

–AFP

Federer splits with Edberg, hires LjubicicWorld number three Roger Federer has shaken up his 2016 coaching team with six-time Grand Slam champion Stefan Edberg leaving and Croatian Ivan Ljubicic drafted in to replace the Swede. Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam winner, issued a statement on his website Tues-day saying that “his childhood idol” Edberg had originally signed up as an assistant coach only for 2014. “After two very successful years, I would like to thank Stefan Edberg, my childhood idol, for agreeing to join my team,” Federer said on www.rogerfederer.com.

–AFP

Goalkeeper billed for damaging penalty spotAugsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz, who sabotaged the Cologne pitch before saving a penalty which helped his side’s away win last Saturday, has been billed for damaging the turf. Bavaria’s Augsburg poached a 1-0 Bundesliga win after Cologne’s French striker Anthony Modeste slipped while taking a penalty on 58 minutes which Hitz saved.

–AFP

QUICK BYTES Dhawan reported for suspect bowling actionn Reuters, Mumbai

India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who occasionally bowls o� -spin, has been reported for a suspect action during the recent fourth Test against South Africa, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday.

India captain Virat Kohli called on Dhawan to bowl just three overs during South Africa’s second innings to break a dogged third-wicket stand between Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers in New Delhi.

“The match o� cials’ report, which was handed over to the India team management, cited concerns about the legality of the 30-year-old’s o� -spin deliveries,” the ICC said in a statement. l

Wasim awaits India’s ‘yes’ on cricket seriesn AFP, Karachi

Renowned Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram Tuesday said he was anxiously hoping for a “yes” result as fans wait to hear if a planned series between arch-rivals Pakistan and India will go ahead.

A recent thaw in Indo-Pak relations, with the prime ministers of both countries holding a short meeting in Paris last week, followed by talks between their security advisers in Bang-kok, has raised hopes of a revival of cricket ties stalled since 2008. Pakistan’s cricket chief said on Monday the series’ fate will be decid-ed during a visit to Islamabad by India’s For-eign Minister Sushma Swaraj this week.

“Of course, I am waiting for India’s “yes” on the series and I am as keen as millions of fans across both the borders,” Wasim told re-porters in Karachi.

The series, agreed between the two boards in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last year, ran into trouble amid strained relations over cross-border shelling in disputed Kashmir. PCB hopes the visit by Swaraj will clear the way for the series - three ODIs and two T20Is - to be played in Sri Lan-ka, later this month. l

28DT Sport

Manchester City forward Raheem

Sterling celebrates after scoring

against Borussia Monchengladbach

during their UEFA Champions League match at

Etihad Stadium on Tuesday

REUTERS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

GROUP ATeam P W D L Pts

Real Madrid 6 5 1 0 16

Paris St Germain 6 4 1 1 13

Shakhtar Donetsk 6 1 0 5 3

Malmo 6 1 0 5 3

GROUP BTeam P W D L Pts

VfL Wolfsburg 6 4 0 2 12

PSV Eindhoven 6 3 1 2 10

Manchester United 6 2 2 2 8

CSKA Moscow 6 1 1 4 4

GROUP CTeam P W D L Pts

Atletico Madrid 6 4 1 1 13

Ben� ca 6 3 1 2 10

Galatasaray 6 1 2 3 5

Astana 6 0 4 2 4

GROUP DTeam P W D L Pts

Manchester City 6 4 0 2 12

Juventus 6 3 2 1 11

Sevilla 6 2 0 4 6

M’gladbach 6 1 2 3 5

PSG (FRA) 2-0 Shakhtar (UKR)Lucas 57, Ibrahimovic 86

Real Madrid (ESP) 8-0 Malmo (Swe)Benzema 12, 24, 74, Ronaldo 39, 47, 50, 59, Kovacic 70

Wolfsburg (GER) 3-2 Man United (ENG)Naldo 13, 84, Martial 10, Vieirinha 29 Guilavogui 82-o.g

PSV Eindhoven (NED) 2-1 CSKA Moscow (RUS)L. de Jong 78, Propper 85 Ignashevich 76-P

Galatasaray (TUR) 1-1 Astana (KAZ)Inan 64 Twumasi 62

Ben� ca (POR) 1-2 Atletico Madrid (ESP)Mitroglou 75 Níguez 33, Vietto 55

Man City (ENG) 4-2 M’gladbach (GER)Silva 16, Sterling 80, 81, Korb 19, Bony 85 Rafael 42

Sevilla (ESP) 1-0 Juventus (ITA)Llorente 65

RESULTS

Real Madrid’s Portuguese starlet Cristiano Ronaldo tries an overhead kick during their Uefa Champions League Group A match against Malmo FF at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Tuesday AFP

TOUCHES 56SHOTS 10ON TARGET 6GOALS 4CHANCES 3ASSISTS 1RO

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Wolfsburg, PSV reach last 16 n AFP, Paris

Manchester United crashed out of the Cham-pions League on Tuesday after a 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg, as the Germans punched their ticket to the last 16 along with Group B rivals PSV Eindhoven.

In the Netherlands, it had looked for a short time as if CSKA Moscow could spare United’s blushes when Sergey Ignashevich converted a 76th-minute penalty to put CSKA 1-0 up against PSV.

But the Dutch side hit back just two min-utes later through Luuk de Jong and com-pleted the turnaround with � ve minutes to play as Davy Propper earned the home side a 2-1 victory, ensuring they went through as runners-up behind Wolfsburg.

In Seville, Fernando Llorente’s 65th-min-ute goal guided the Spaniards past Juve and

enabled them to pip Gladbach into third, en-suring Unai Emery’s men will have a chance to land a third consecutive Europa League crown.

Cristiano Ronaldo smashed his own pool stage scoring record as he netted four times in a crushing 8-0 victory over Malmo in Group A.

Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 2-0 vic-tory at home to Shakhtar Donetsk with sec-ond-half goals from Lucas and Zlatan Ibrahi-movic at the Parc des Princes.

Atletico Madrid wrapped up � rst place in Group C as they avenged an earlier home loss to Ben� ca with a 2-1 victory in Lisbon.

Galatasaray denied Astana a famous � rst group stage win and the chance to continue their continental adventure in the Europa League as Selcuk Inan cancelled out Patrick Twumasi’s opener in a 1-1 draw in Turkey. l

Ronaldo sets goals record for group stagen Reuters, Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo set a record for goals scored in the group stage of the Champions League of 11 when he netted four against Malmo in Group A on Tuesday.

The Portugal forward made it 3-0 to Real six minutes before halftime at the Bernabeu and added three more goals in the 47th, 50th and 59th minutes.

Ronaldo, who has reached double � gures for a � fth consecutive Champions League campaign, extended his all-time Champions League scoring record to 88 goals. He is the � rst Real player to score four goals in a Cham-pions League match, with the overall record of � ve held by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano, who achieved the feat with Shakhtar Donetsk but now plays for AC Milan.l

Birthday boy Sterling gives Man City top spotn AFP, Manchester

Raheem Sterling marked his 21st birthday with a decisive brace as Manchester City se-cured top spot in Champions League Group D by overpowering in-form Borussia Mo-enchengladbach 4-2 on Tuesday.

It lifted Manuel Pellegrini’s side above Ju-ventus, beaten 1-0 by Sevilla in Spain in the other group game, and meant that Gladbach missed out on even the consolation of a Eu-ropa League berth.

“When we had the draw in August, every-

one said that was the ‘death group’, with all the best leagues in the same group, so to qualify two games before (the end) was very important and if we can win the group, it’s better,” Pellegrini told BT Sport.

“We played not so good the � rst half, but we did brilliant in the second half.”

City’s failure to secure top spot in the group cost them dearly in the previous two seasons they reached the knock-out phasebut they will now approach Monday’s draw safe in the knowledge that neither Barcelona, Real Ma-drid nor Bayern will await in the next round. l

Sport 29D

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Oscar Pistorius leaves a

courtroom of the High Court

in Pretoria, South Africa on

Tuesday

AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Channel 9Bangladesh Premier League2:00PMComilla Vicrorians v Sylhet Super Stars6:30PMBarisal Bulls v Dhaka Dynamites Ten SportsUefa Europa League 12:00AM Dortmund v PAOK 2:00AM Sporting CP v Besiktas

Ten ActionUefa Europa League 12:00PM Sion v Liverpool 2:00AM Tottenham v Monaco

Ten CricketUefa Europa League 12:00PM Napoli v Legia 2:00AM Asteras v Schalke Sony Six7:30PM Pro Wrestling League: Delhi v Punjab Star Sports 210:00PM Women’s FIH Hockey World League Quarter-� nals Star Sports 4International Premier Tennis League 4:30PM Japan Warriors v UAE Royals 8:00PM Philippine Mavericks v Indian Aces

DAY’S WATCH

Baz ‘comfortable’ with Cairns trial evidencen Reuters

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is “very comfortable” with the evidence he gave against former all-rounder Chris Cairns, who was found not guilty of perjury and pervert-ing the course of justice in a trial last month.

Cairns had been accused of falsely claiming he had never cheated at cricket when he won 90,000 pounds ($135,171) in damages from Lalit Modi, the former boss of the Indian Pre-mier League, in a libel action three years ago.

McCullum was one of two former team mates, along with self-confessed match� x-er Lou Vincent, who gave evidence against Cairns in the trial, accusing his predecessor as Test skipper of twice asking him to � x matches. Cairns was found not guilty on Nov. 30 after an eight-week trial in Southwark Crown Court.

“I was very comfortable with the evidence I gave in London and I stand by that evidence as well,” McCullum told reporters in Dunedin [yesterday]. “I was one of a number of wit-nesses who gave evidence.

“For me it’s not about whether someone is guilty or not guilty. My role was to give ev-idence in the trial.

“People will have their own opinions on

what unfolded. I was comfortable with it, and as I say it’s time to move on and focus on a bit of cricket.”

McCullum, who will lead New Zealand in the � rst Test against Sri Lanka in Dunedin today, is scheduled to play his 98th Test

match at University Oval.He refused to be drawn on whether he

would be involved in any further legal action, with British media reporting that Modi was considering a civil claim, something Cairns acknowledged was a possibility. l

Pistorius: bailed, tagged and free to roamn Reuters, Pretoria

Oscar Pistorius, who murdered his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, was granted bail on Tuesday and has the freedom of South Africa’s capital Pretoria as he waits to appeal his conviction in April.

The Paralympic champion, nicknamed “Blade Runner” because of the prosthet-ic legs he uses to race, was granted bail of 10,000 rand ($686), after spending the last two months under house arrest at his uncle’s home in a wealthy Pretoria suburb.

Pistorius had been meant to serve the rest of a � ve-year sentence there but the Supreme Court upgraded the 29-year-old’s conviction to murder from culpable homicide last week. He will appear in court on April 18 to give an update on his appeal at the constitutional court.

He faces a minimum 15-year sentence for shooting Steenkamp in a case that has fas-cinated and divided South Africa, a country beset by high levels of violent crime.

Rights groups say the white track star has received preferential treatment.l

Showtime30DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Under Construction wins Golden Durian Prizen Showtime Desk

Bangladeshi � lm Under Construction has bagged the Golden Durian Prize for the best feature � lm at the Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival, held in Philippines. The jury cited the � lm “for reinvigorating ‘the woman question’ implanted in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s globalised contemporary image.”

Earlier this year on June 6, Under Construction, which is Rubaiyat Hossain’s second feature � lm, had its world premiere at The New Director’s Showcase at Seattle International Film Festival. Since then, the � lm has participated in a few notable � lm festivals worldwide including the Montreal World Film Festival-Canada, the São Paulo International Film Festival-Brazil, Festival de Cine de Bogotá-Columbia, Calgary International Film Festival-Canada, Haifa Film Festival-Israel, Heartland Film Festival-USA, Scottsdale International Film Festival-USA, St Louis International Film Festival-USA, Anchorage Film Festival Alaska-USA, World Film Festival of Bangkok-Thailand,

and Phnom Penh International Film Festival-Cambodia. The 26th edition of Stockholm Film Festival showcased the European premiere of Under Construction.

The journey of Under Construction continues as the � lm reaches Indian audience through two major Indian � lms

festivals, namely, the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) and the Chennai International Film Festival.

Under Construction will have its Bangladesh premiere on January 14, 2016 as the opening � lm of Dhaka International Film Festival. l

n Showtime Desk

Sumon Anwar, well known for his perfectionist techniques as a TV � ction maker, has announced a feature � lm named “Koyla.” For quite some time, Moushumi Hamid, Rawnak Hasan and Mosharraf Karim have been rumoured to act in the � lm but a source con� rmed that Moushumi and Rawnak have come to an agreement last Tuesday.

Moushumi Hamid, who recently garnered widespread plaudits for her depiction of a con� ned girl in Jalal’s Story, will play the role of a girl named Moyna in the upcoming � lm about which she said “I got to hear the story from the director himself and I am so keen to work in the � lm that I have tried to memorise all the dialogues of my character, upon receiving the script.”

On the other hand, Mosharraf Karim has not signed the agreement paper yet, but the director informed that his con� rmation is just a matter of time. Karim will be seen as the older brother of Hasan in the � lm.

The � lm is said to depict a story in the milieu of a � shermen-village. The contemporary horrendous story of how destitute people are trying to � ee using illegal methods by sea to foreign lands will be partially portrayed in the � lm as well. Filming will begin from January 20 at Kuakata, the town with a panoramic sea beach on the southernmost tip of the country. l

Moushumi and Rawnak con� rmed for Koyla

Theatre Week-2015 ends on Friday“Theatre Week-2015,” organised by the renowned troupe of Theatre at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will conclude on Friday, December 10, 2015.

Syed Apon Ahsan, convener of the festival said, “With the slogan ‘Life is above all,’ the troupe has been staging seven stage plays at the festival.” Eminent cultural personality, M Hamid and Akhtaruzzaman, secretary general of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation received the prestigious “Munier Chowdhury Sommanona” and “Mohammad Zakaria Smriti Padak” respectively this year. Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman inaugurated the week-long festival. On the closing day, a discussion session on the book titled “Celebrating 40 Years of Theatre Magazine” will be held at the Seminar Room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 4pm. Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Nur, former co-editor of the same magazine will be present as chief guest. At 7pm, Theatre’s renowned play Meraj Fakirer Maa will be staged at National Theatre Hall. l

Na Manush airs today

nShowtime Desk

A tele� lm titled Na Manush will be aired today on Maasranga TV at 7:50pm which depicts the story of four friends, Adi, Ra� , Shams and Rupa who decide to spin on somewhere. Among them, Shams has a liking for Rupa. Even though Shams was not supposed to go with them but shows interest after learning that Rupa will go as well. The three young men were annoyed when they found out the inclusion of Rashed, Rupa’s brother, since they can’t tolerate him. Meanwhile, they go to an old palace, where they dance to music and enjoy a barbeque party.

On the other hand, Rupa’s friends play pranks on Rashed. While everyone was enjoying the party, someone discovers that Rashed is missing and whoever went after him too, disappeared.

Written by Asaduzzaman Sohag and directed by Asis Roy, the tele� lm casts Mishu Sabbir, Safa Kabir, Farhan Zovan and Tousif Mahbub among others. l

Showtime 31D

TTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Die Another DaySony PIX 8:30pmWhile on his way to meet Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) of the North Korean army, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is betrayed and captured by Zhao (Rick Yune) and his men. Zhao is a terrorist who subjects Bond to vicious torture. Quite by chance, Bond manages to get away but is dismissed from services as he is accused of leaking information leading to the deaths of several agents.Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby StephensThe Scorpion KingStar Movies Action 7:45pmIn an ancient time, predating the pyramids, the evil king Memnon is using the psychic powers of his sorceress Cassandra to foretell his great victories. In a last ditch e� ort to stop Memnon from taking over the world, the leaders of the remaining free tribes hire the assassin Mathayus to kill the sorceress. But Mathayus ends up getting much more than he bargained for.Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Kelly Hu

Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsWB 9:30pmHarry Potter (Daniel Radcli� e) is eagerly waiting for the summer holidays to get over so that he can get back to Hogwarts School of Magic. Dobby the house-elf (voice by Toby Jones) visits Harry and warns him to not go back to the school as danger awaits him there. Harry ignores the warning and gets to the school. Strange things begin to happen soon. People get petri� ed and hospitalised for no reason. Harry keeps hearing a voice that no one else seems to hear. There is a rumour going around that the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened after 50 years.Cast: Daniel Radcli� e, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkStar Movies 9:30 pmIn this sequel, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) takes a vacation to Florida along with his family. But, unfortunately, he gets separated and gets on a � ight to New York City. Kevin has a lot of fun all by himself. But soon, his old nemeses, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) catch up with Kevin. They have escaped from prison and are planning to steal from a toy store.Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern l

WHAT TO WATCH

n Promiti Prova Chowdhury

The � rst thought that one may have upon watching Payer Awaj Pawa Jay is that the play depicts all aspects of today’s Bangladesh, even after almost 40 years since its inception.

The highly-acclaimed production of Theatre was previously directed by late Abdullah Al Mamun. Sudip Chakroborthy is currently steering at the helm..

Sudip, who took charge in 2012, feels that the story, the characters, and the plot of Payer Awaj Pawa Jay (We hear the footsteps) resemble the present political, religious and social context of the country in an uncanny manner.

The story is based with the backdrop of a village in East Pakistan. The villagers turn to the village’s matbor (chief) as they hear the footsteps of freedom � ghters approaching in the vicinity. The matbor and his associate pir try to convince the villagers that Pakistani military troops are their protectors while freedom � ghters were on the verge of losing. The daughter of the matbor then discloses that her father had handed her over to a Pakistani military o� cer through a fake marriage and the next day the military left the village. The play ends in a double tragedy.

“In the play we have shown how the youths defeated the rajakars. In today’s Bangladesh we see the youth speaking against atrocities. The Gonojagoron Moncho is an example. Unfortunately the group who opposed the independence of the country still live in this country. Our aim is to eliminate them through the power of theatre,” says Sudip.

He also mentions the character of the pir as a representation of the opportunists in the real society, religious leaders who try to in� uence the masses by delivering disorting religious sermons for their own bene� ts.

While reimagining the drama, Sudip made some changes in the composition and casting, keeping the script intact.

“There have been changes in roles played by the artistes. For example, the role of the matborer meye was played by Ferdausi Majumdar. Now it is played by her daughter Tropa. Many of the actors have left the country. So there were changes in the casting.”

This show features brilliant stars. “Working with them was a great experience,” says Sudip to the Dhaka Tribune.

Seasoned actor Tropa Majumdar beautifully paints the character of the matborer meye, the central female role of the play.

“The character has become an iconic one. It was a very signi� cant role in my mother’s career. Initially, I did not want to play the role because people would start comparing me with my mother,” says Tropa.

“Ultimately, you have to go with the troupe’s decision. Save for the odd suggestion about the character’s motivations, my mother didn’t try to in� uence my portrayal of the role. Thus what you see is the character done my way, as I see her,” she continues.

The role of the matborer meye, which is both helpless and bold at the same time, re� ects the condition of most women of our society. Unfortunately, even today most women here would be able to relate to the character as they must have faced such situations at some point in their lives, believes Tropa.

“A girl who doesn’t see the light of hope and who is usually introverted, shouts out her agony to the villagers. She boldly comes out of the house and accuses her father. This

is the beauty of the character. She is on the edge but still bold,” describes Tropa.

The cast and crew of Payer Awaj Pawa Jay believes that one major reason for reviving the play in this month of victory is to speak out against the recent murders related to religious extremism.

“Allah? Shey kemon? Kemon tar chehara? (Allah? What does he look like?)” the dialogue delivered by matborer meye is not an insult to religion, rather an honest question asked by a naïve village girl. She had always learnt only the things that her pir taught her, without questioning the meanings. She describes herself as a blind person who lived her life paying heed to everything her teacher taught her, trusting him whole-heartedly. Such questions can come to the mind of any person. It is astonishing how Syed Shamsul Haque wrote such a dialogue back in 1976!

“So the play, in every aspect, signi� cantly depicts today’s Bangladesh,” she opines.

The Dhaka Tribune asked veteran artiste Ferdausi Majumdar how she felt when she used to play the role and how she feels today.

The stalwart actress of Theatre replies: “Back in my days I used to feel nervous if I could play the role beautifully, now I feel anxious for my daughter if she can carry it blissfully.”

“There have been changes made in the casting and design of the play. I like both the styles, but the � rst production will always hold a special place in my heart,” says Ferdausi Majumdar.

She feels that such theatre festivals should be held more often as they attract more audiences.

“The number of audience in theatres � uctuates worldwide. The bulk of theatre audiences have slightly declined lately. But the Theatre Week 2015 has dragged a good number of audiences so far. Therefore, such festivals should be arranged more frequently,” Ferdausi concludes.

The Theatre Week 2015 comes to an end today with the play Baramkhana at the Jatiya Nattyashala of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. l

Payer Awaj Pawa Jai against religious extremism

Back Page32DT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

200,000 at risk of being laid o� n Tribune Report

“I have no job, no job o� ers and seven hungry children. What will I do?” Shahida Akhtar asks, staring out at the narrow lane in front of her house in Keraniganj upazila, thirty minutes from Dhaka.

She recalls hectic days last year making pa-per shopping bags.

But now that the paper bag industry has slumped in the face of competition from a risky plastic alternative, she has little to do with her time and no source of income.

Mechanised shopping bag manufacturers using a non-biodegradable form of plastic are shutting down traditional shopping bag mak-ers and putting its labourers, many of them poor women, out of work.

Many small factories have been shuttered as demand for old-style paper bags has dwin-dled. Some stores are full to the brim with pa-per shopping bags nobody wants to buy.

Shahida’s dilemma is shared by hundreds of others, who like her, have lost their jobs.

There are nearly 300 factories in Keraniganj alone where around 200,000 people work in the industry - many have already closed.

Abul Hossain, proprietor of Nayon Products which makes paper shopping bags, said: “From 200,000 bags a month, our production has fallen to 6,000. Last year we employed 300 women. This year we have just 4 workers.” l

Risky plastic bags flood market n Nure Alam Durjoy

The bagging industry is being overtaken by an environmentally unfriendly Chinese product that is destroying the livelihood of poor wom-en in the short-term and stands poised to ruin the environment in the long-term.

A test conducted by the department of chemical engineering at the Bangladesh Uni-versity of Engineering and Technology in May found that non-woven shopping bags, unlike polythene bags, are not biodegradable.

But the government’s environmental watchdog apparently does not know about the new and destructive technology.

Non-woven bags are made from poly-thene powder imported, together with pro-duction equipment, from China.

“We have tested the non-woven shopping bags and found that they are not biodegrad-able. They are therefore harmful to the envi-ronment because they are non-decomposable like polythene,” Dr Kazi Bayzid Kabir, assis-tant professor of chemical engineering, said.

Although the government banned the manufacture, marketing and use of poly-thene shopping bags in 2002, they are still widely used across the country.

AKM Mizanur Rahman, director of monitor-ing and enforcement at the department of en-vironment, told the Dhaka Tribune that he was not aware of the non-woven shopping bags.

When asked about them, he instead asked the Dhaka Tribune correspondent for the ad-

dresses of non-woven shopping bag compa-nies so that his department could conduct a mobile court drive.

He added that his department had earlier conducted mobile court drives against the il-legal use of polythene bags across the capital.

Traditionally, shopping bags were made of paper in scores of factories, often employing poor women, around the capital.

A seller of non-woven shopping bags told the Dhaka Tribune, asking not to be named, that demand for this type of bag is on the rise.

He sells the environmentally hazardous item in a market in the capital’s Gulistan area.

“We usually buy the non-woven material from the market as a single roll. We then cut the material into bags and heat the edges to join them together,” he explained. l

A man assembles paper shopping bags as a woman counts and stacks them in a paper bag factory that is still in operation. Many factories closed down after non-biodegradable plastic bags caused demand for paper to plummet. The photo was taken recently SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

www.dhakatribune.com

BPL 2015

TODAY’S FIXTURES2PM, MIRPUR

Comilla Victorians (COV) v Sylhet Super Stars (SSS)

6:30PM, MIRPURBarisal Bulls (BB) v Dhaka Dynamites (DD)

MATCH-1 MATCH-2

VDhaka Dynamites

Sangakkara 48, Nasir 31, Farhad 31, Razzak 2/9, Bopara 1/13

Sylhet Super StarsBopara 55, Junaid 51, Tanvir 19,

Farhad 2/42, Yasir 1/20

Sylhet Super Stars won by six wickets

157/520 overs

162/419.5 overs V

Chittagong VikingsAnamul 28, Dilshan 28, U Akmal 25,

Cooper 2/24, Sami 2/31

Barisal BullsGayle 92*, Mahmudullah 19*,

Mehedi 18, Taskin 1/23, Sha� ul 0/12

Barisal Bulls won by eight wickets

135/720 overs

141/215 overs

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