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  • All roads lead to Dhaka

    n Mohammad Jamil Khan andSyed Samiul Basher Anik

    The road to Dhaka is the Grand Trunk Road of pro ts. Money paid for illegal drugs in the city of the Mughals subverts the state but subsidises gainful employment for marginal groups in rural places forgotten by the centre.

    Your Dhaka Tribune correspondents are weighed down by these thoughts as they watch a passenger with an illegal beer in hand on board the Dhaka-bound Suborna Express that departs Chittagong at 6:45am.

    We are neither shocked by the sight, nor

    curious. It is all very humdrum: the passen-ger bought the beer from a group of men working out of the toilet, who share their pro ts with Railway sta and police. Trains

    are among the easiest places in the country to enjoy banned substances, we now know.

    But as we rumble towards the capital, we PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

    SECOND EDITION

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | Kartik 28, 1422, Moharram 29, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 206 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

    JUSTICE STILL ELUSIVE FOR SAMIULS FATHER PAGE 5

    A CLINICAL CLEAN-UP PAGE 32

    PM: VIBER, WHATSAPP LIKELY TO BE BLOCKED PAGE 3

    INSIDE THE SMUGGLING SYNDICATE - 5(CONCLUDING PART)

    Seizure of drugs by all agencies in BangladeshName of Drugs 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Poppy plants 1,450,210Opium (kg) 11.69 8.07 4.84 11.62Heroin (kg) 159.783 188.186 107.499 124.92 123.73 84.00Codeine preparation (bottles) 1,117,354 961,260 932,874 1,291,078 987,661 748,730Codeine loose (litres) 2,955.300 4,119.185 3,228 2,613 857.55 451Cannabis (kg) 32,955.581 48,749.357 54,244 38,702 35,012.54 36,484Cannabis plants 791 1,760 742 485 666Injecting Drug (ampules) 89,469 69,158 118,890 157,995 99,509 181,318ATS (yaba) (tablets) 129,644 812,716 1,360,186 1,951,392 2,821,528 6,767,338

    SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF NARCOTICS CONTROL

    Ulfa leader Anup Chetia handed over to Indian Mohammad Jamil KhanThe government of Bangladesh yesterday handed over infamous Indian separatist leader Anup Chetia and two of his associates to the authorities of his country.

    Chetia has been in jail [in Bangladesh] for a long period. After his punishment period ended, he wished to go back to India. So, we have released him and he has already crossed the border, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune over phone last evening.

    Shree Laxmi Proshad and Babul Sharma are the two associates of Anup Chetia, one

    of the founders and general secretary of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa).

    Indian TV station Zee News yesterday re-ported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had thanked his Bangladesh counter-part Sheikh Hasina for handing over Chetia and her assistance in combating terrorism.

    The Bangladesh home minister said the Ulfa leader, before going to India, gave an un-dertaking in writing that he was going back to India in full sense and under his own ar-rangements.

    Asked how the handover took place, As-aduzzaman Khan Kamal said Chetia went to the border with his associates and crossed the border with help from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on this side and the Indi-an Border Security Force (BSF) on the other side. If this is a handover, then it was so.

    Asked whether BGB had helped Chetia during the crossover, Mohosin Reza, pub-lic relations o cer of BGB, said he was not aware of any such thing.

    Asked if anyone had come to receive Che-tia at the jail upon his release, the minister said: Whenever any foreigner is released, we usually inform the relevant embassy.

    Is there any connection between his re-lease and bringing back Narayanganj sev-en-murder prime suspect Nur Hossain from India? In reply Kamal said: Whenever the Indian government wishes to send him back, he will be brought back.

    PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

    Prison guard slashed in Faridpurn Kamrul HasanAn on-duty uniformed prison guard in Farid-pur yesterday became the latest lawman to be attacked with a sharp weapon.

    The injured guard, Asaduzzaman Asad, 42, survived the attack which was reportedly carried out by a single unidenti ed assailant.

    Asad was on a motorcycle with another guard when he was attacked near the Farid-pur Post O ce, said Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin, the inspector general of prisons. Asad was carrying o cial documents at the time.

    The attacker managed to ee after slash-ing Asad from behind with a sharp weapon, Brig Gen Iftekhar told a press conference at the Bangladesh Jail Headquarters, adding

    PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

    Anup Chetia

  • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015News2DT

    Prison guard slashed in Faridpurthat the guard was rushed to the hospital soon after.

    Pointing out that uniformed law enforc-ers had been targets of recent attacks, the IG prisons said he has now relaxed the uniform code of the prison guards by ordering all pris-on workers to wear civil dresses when carry-ing out tasks outside jail premises.

    Brig Gen Iftekhar further expressed his suspicion that yesterdays attack might be

    linked to the attack on a military police mem-ber in Dhakas Kochukhet on Tuesday.

    Curiously, despite the prisons chief con- rming the incident, the superintendent of Faridpur jail, Abul Kalam Azad, denied that any such incident had taken place. When he was contacted, the jail super told the Dhaka Tribune that Asad was safe and performing his duties at the jail.

    Meanwhile, the on-duty doctor at Farid-

    pur General Hospital, Shahin Mahmud, said the prison guard had received an injury on his back that was likely caused by a sharp weapon. Asad was released from the hospital after receiving treatment, he added.

    Nazimuddin Ahmed, o cer-in-charge of Faridpur Sadar police station, said he had visited the crime scene but could not get much details from the witnesses. l

    Ulfa leader Anup Chetia handed over to IndiaHowever, according to a source, sending back Anup Chetia and receiving Nur Hossain in return is an unconditional deal between the two countries.

    Chetia is wanted for murders, abductions and extortion in India. He had been in Bang-ladesh since his arrest in Dhakas Moham-madpur on December 21, 1997.

    Three cases were led against him at that time: one for illegally staying in Bangladesh; another for keeping foreign currency; and the third for keeping a satellite phone. A Bangla-desh court sentenced him to three, four and seven years in jail in the three cases respectively.

    Since the tenure of his punishment ended in February 2007, he was kept in Rajshahi Jail as per a court directive. Since 2012, however, he has been at the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur.

    During his stay in jail, Chetia sought politi-cal asylum from the Bangladesh government in 2003, 2005 and 2008.

    India has been pressing Bangladesh for deportation of Chetia for several years.

    When contacted, Brig Gen Sayed Iftekhar Uddin, inspector general of prisons, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that they had released Chetia and his associates from the high security units of the Kashimpur Jail ear-ly yesterday and a two-member Indian dele-gation received them at the jail.

    Neither the home minister nor the IG-pris-ons disclosed the time of his release.

    However, according to a source, Chetia was released from Kashimpur around 2:30am and is believed to have crossed the Jakiganj border in Sylhet just before dawn.

    According to jail sources, Chetia rst ex-pressed his interests to go back to India when JP Singh, an Indian diplomat posted in Dha-ka, went to visit Kashimpur Jail in September 2012, apparently realising that he would not be given asylum.

    In May 2013, Chetia sent a letter to the Bangladesh government through the jail au-thorities making o cial his wish to go back home along with his associates.

    The o cial procedure of sending him back to India began after that. In January 2013, Bangladesh and India signed a prisoner exchange agreement.

    With Chetia going back to India, almost all the top leaders of Ulfa are now in the custody of Indian security forces, except the separa-tist groups military wing chief Paresh Barua.

    Pareshs name was included in a list of 14 people who were handed down death sentence by a special tribunal in Chittagong in December last year in the 10-truck arms haul case.

    About a year ago, Indian media reported that Paresh is in China but his wife and kids now live in Dhaka. Bangladeshi authorities, however, have never said anything o cially on this issue. l

    Modi thanks Hasina for helping ght terrorismn UNBIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yester-day had a telephone conversation with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and thanked her for the help in ghting terrorism.

    The phone conversation took place hours after Bangladesh handed over Ulfa leader Anup Chetia to India.

    The Indian Prime Minister also wished Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Diwali.

    PM@narendramodi spoke to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina. He wished PM Hasina on Diwali and thanked her for the help in ght-ing terrorism, the India Prime Ministers Of- ce tweeted.

    Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh also tweeted trice after the handover of Chetia and thanked the Bangladesh government for its active cooperation in sending Anoop Che-tia to India.

    Handing over of Anoop (Anup) Cheita by Bangladesh shows its commitment and matu-rity to cooperate with India on issues like terror and organised crime, he said in of the tweets welcoming the handing over of Anup Chetia to India by the Bangladesh government.

    Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Ulfa leader Anup Chetia, who had been in Bangladeshi jail since his arrest in 1997, returned to India yesterday morning.

    The minister came up with the disclosure while talking to reporters at a press brie ng at the Secretariat. l

    All roads lead to Dhakamarvel at a network so precise that it can po-sition smugglers next to trains at the exact moment that they pass and so powerful that armed policemen see nothing in their gun-sights and timetables are altered with clock-work regularity.

    From the hinterland we travel towards the capital, paralleling the route taken by the contraband we have seen spirited across the border and sped towards markets across the country.

    The great emporium is, of course, Dhaka, which accounts for the lions share of the Tk700 million that is spent on illegal drugs in Bangladesh every day, according to a 2013 World Heath Organisation report.

    In May 2013, the Dhaka Tribune reported that over six million Bangladeshis consumed illegal drugs and that the drug tra cking business employed over 100,000 people.

    As we roll into the capital, we watch a wom-an smuggling phensedyl, a codeine-based cough syrup illegal in Bangladesh but not in neighbouring India, and some smuggled In-dian Horlicks get o the train.

    While speaking to her on the journey, she said the price of her goods would go up by a third the minute she lands at a station because she will have to pay o Railway and local police sta .

    Smugglings beating heart Nearly 2,500 wanted criminals, who have ei-ther ed from police custody or are on bail, have allegedly divided Dhaka city into 800 spots to control the narcotics business.

    The Narcotics Control Department (NCD),

    Detective Branch (DB) and regular police reg-ularly update the list of criminals, many of whom are wanted in 10 or more cases, and send it to the Home Ministry every year.

    Hardly any of them are currently in cus-tody.

    Special drives are conducted by law en-forcement agencies but the arrestees of these drives are usually customers and low-end carriers of contraband drugs.

    Drug kingpins and local ring leaders are rarely felled or rounded up.

    According to a Detective Branch list, there are over 800 narcotics sale spots in the cap-ital: 74 in Ramna, 90 in Lalbagh, 115 in Wari, 125 in Mirpur, 112 in Gulshan, 68 in Uttara, 122 in Motijheel and nearly 100 in Tejgaon.

    A year ago, the number of spots was 542. Sources claimed that local police and nar-

    cotics o cials were aware of these narcotics sale outlets but that syndicates have bought their silence.

    In the past, narcotics syndicates were run solely by godfathers but in recent times, the trend has changed and around 10% of retail narcotics outlets are run by godmothers, in-vestigators have found.

    Detective Branch sources said 85 spots out of 800 are now under the control of god-mothers.

    There are around 500 trained woman car-riers under the leadership of the new god-mothers who not only carry the illicit goods but also sell directly to customers.

    Monwar Ara is a listed godmother in the Lalbagh area of the capital. Her team of women drug sellers includes Munni, Tagar,

    Tamanna and Mouri. After a di cult search, the Dhaka Tribune

    tracked Mouri down in front of the central jail. She said she was there to supply prison-ers with their drugs of choice.

    Drug users includes the well-heeled and thugs alike. Bangladesh has an estimated six million users, with men outnumbering wom-en four to one.

    Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch, said people from various professions are involved in drug syndicates, including private university teachers and students.

    A major criminal syndicate targets young members of high-class families to sell drugs so that they can get permanent customers and spread their network at the private uni-versities.

    Some 32 types of illegal narcotics are available in the capital, law enforcers told the Dhaka Tribune.

    Of these, yaba is the most popular, fol-lowed by heroin, marijuana, codeine, phensedyl, pethidine, morphine, a variety of other painkillers and alcoholic beverages, which are banned here.

    Free reign for drug lordsAccording to o cial sources, some 30,000 drug cases are pending for trial in court, of which 20,000 are under investigation by the police and Rapid Action Battalion, and 8,000 are pending in the hands of the Department of Narcotics Control.

    Cases do make it to trial but a lack of prop-er witnesses and evidence often results in

    the accused getting bailed.Police said bailed accused are often repeat

    o enders. Drug lords are rarely named, let alone

    charged. Commissioner Monirul of DB police, also

    the Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesper-son, said special drives to stop drug tra ck-ing have improved the situation compared to earlier periods.

    DNC Deputy Director Rabiul Islam said drives by his agencys o cials had also helped the situation in the capital to im-prove.

    The pyramid of power erected by the black market extends from the steps of parliament house right down to station platforms in the rural hinterland where ticket checkers are busy averting their eyes.

    Women, the disabled, children and trans-gender people on smuggling runs ll trains up at certain times of the day, everyday, but never buy a ticket.

    Stations, trains and government cars have been pressed into the service of smugglers. National borders are revolving doors greased by bribery, the laws books an anthology of ction.

    Finally at the end of the line and a month-long investigation, the Dhaka Tribune spoke to a high o cial of Railway police, who asked not to be named.

    Calling widespread smuggling an open secret, he said: Even if you try to conduct a raid, your second o cer will inform the smugglers and the raid will yield nothing. l

    CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

  • News 3DT

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    Drugs trade dispute kills one in Dhakan Arifur Rahman RabbiOne person was killed and another injured when a clash broke out between two local rival groups over drugs trade in the capital yesterday.

    The deceased was Ha z Shikder, 25, son of Babul Shikder of Shariatpur, while the in-jured was Palash, 20.

    Police said the clash took place at Nabina-gars Balurmath area around 7pm, and estab-lishing dominance was also a reason why the clash broke out.

    Sub-Inspector of Khilgaon police station Syed Ali, who took Ha zs body at Dhaka Medical College morgue, said a group led by Shamim and Munna attacked on members of

    their rival group led by Ha z and Palash dur-ing the clash.

    They hacked Ha z and Palash with sharp weapons, leaving Ha z critically injured. He was immediately taken to the hospital where doctors declared him dead around 8:40pm, he said.

    He also said that Palash was sent to Na-tional Institute of Traumatology and Ortho-paedic Rehabilitation.

    Ha zs father Babul, who lives in Rampu-ra, told the Dhaka Tribune he went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after hearing that his son had come under attack. I found my sons body at the hospital, he said.

    O cer-in-Charge of Khilgaon police sta-tion Qazi Mainul Islam told the Dhaka Trib-

    une that the clash broke out over cable TV business in the area.

    Police arrested a man named Zakir in con-nection with the attack on Ha z and said that they were looking for the other attackers.

    OC Mainul said police had got the names of other attackers.

    But I cannot disclose the names now for the sake of investigation, he said.

    Sources said the attack was the result of a longstanding dispute between the two groups.

    Locals claimed that both groups work for Shahadat, who is a notorious terrorist in the capital.

    Police said a case would be led in this connection. l

    Hasina reaches out to Suu Kyin Sheikh Shahariar ZamanPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reached out to Myanmar leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi as the two leaders talked over phone last evening, con rmed Bangladesh Ambassador to Mynmar Mohammad Su ur Rahman.

    The ambassador on Tuesday also handed over a congratulatory message from the PM to National League for Democracy (NLD) deputy chief U Tin Oo for the success in the election. Bangladesh is the rst country to congratulate the party.

    I went to the o ce of the NLD and handed over a felicitation letter from the prime minister [Sheikh Hasina], Bangladesh ambassador to Myanmar Mohammad Su ur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

    We are engaged with Myanmar and hope to make it more dynamic in the future, he said.

    Bangladesh and Myanmar have multifar-ious relationship starting from energy, trade to agriculture and substantial progress has been made in those areas, he said.

    The prime minister in her message to Suu Kyi congratulated her on behalf of the people of Bangladesh, he said.

    The prime ministers message said: "This victory, in the face of formidable challenges, is a testimony to the love, respect and trust of Burmese people for you as well as the hard

    work and sacri ces made by your motivated workers and leaders to translate that goodwill into votes."

    She said: "I believe the people of Myanmar have pronounced loudly their preference for a real change that they have been eagerly waiting for a long time.

    "The verdict appears to be for a comprehensive transition towards a genuine democracy and for a robust journey towards a truly pluralist union, re ective of the needs and aspirations of all ethnicities and minorities."

    The message also said: We need to avail this opportunity to build on our historic ties and develop a deep mutual respect for each others people and cultures as we strive to make our bilateral relations multi-layered and inter-dependent.

    Hasina said: As Myanmar emerges as a democracy upholding universal values, I would like to reassure you that Bangladesh would be a willing partner of Myanmar in creating the right atmosphere for peace, stability and progress in South Asia and South East Asia.

    In the rst election under civilian government, introduced in 2011, Suu Kyis opposition NLD has won over 80 percent of the seats declared so far in the lower house and is well ahead in the upper house and regional assemblies. l

    PM: Viber, WhatsApp likely to be blocked n Tribune ReportThe government is planning to stop the usage of Viber and WhatsApp messengers temporally in the country to track down cyber criminals.

    We have a plan to halt access to Viber and WhatsApp for some days to trace the cyber crime bigwigs. The action may appear any time on need, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

    The PM said this in reply to a question from independent lawmaker Haji Moham-mad Selim in the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday.

    On September 17, 2012, telecom watchdog BRTC blocked YouTube temporarily to pre-vent people from watching a 14-minute trail-er of a lm titled Innocence of Muslims, which mocked Islam and Prophet Hazrat Mu-hammad (pbuh). l

    Anisuzzaman: Death threat against democracyn Arifur Rahman RabbiDhaka University Professor Emeritus Dr Anisuzzaman said he was threatened with death for his support to bloggers.

    The threat was not only against me it is also against democracy, freedom and civili-zation, said Anisuzzaman yesterday.

    Anisuzzaman was talking to this corre-spondent on Bangla Academy premises in the capital.

    The former DU Bangla Department pro-fessor and also a noted secular writer Anisuz-zaman received the death threat on his mobile phone through a text message on Tuesday. On the same day, he led a general diary with the Gulshan police station.

    The threat came after a platform of secular persoanlities including Prof Anisuzzaman, is-sued a statement seeking exemplary punish-ment for the killers of publishers and bloggers.

    Anisuzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune: Those who killed bloggers, writers and pub-lishers, have also threatened me.

    They may kill me. Those involved in such activities are going in a wrong direction, he said, adding that those groups had taken the law into their own hands.

    He asked those who threatened him to counter their thoughts with write-up and logic, not through killing people.

    Higher police o cials have already visited his residence, Anisuzzaman said adding that the law enforcers immediate response is sat-isfactory.

    When contacted, DMP Deputy Commis-sioner (Public Relations) Muntasirul Islam told the Dhaka tribune that they have de-ployed police in front of his house. l

    Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority yesterday evicts illegal establishments that had been set up from Postogola to Sadarghat in the capital MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

  • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015News4DT

    Footpaths are intended to be used only by pedestrians but this is rarely the case in the capital. The picture taken in Banglamotor area yesterday shows cars illegally parked on the footpath while the road is full of tra c, a situation that the pedestrians bore the brunt of MEHEDI HASAN

    EU concerned about freedom of expression in Bangladeshn Tribune ReportEuropean Union (EU) yesterday expressed its concern over the freedom of expression in Bangladesh, hoping that the matter will be investigated.

    Acting Managing Director of the Asia and Paci c Department of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Ugo Astuto said EU is aware of reports about the recent killings of foreign nationals and bloggers.

    We are concerned over the freedom of speech, governance, democracy and human rights situations in Bangladesh, he said at a joint press brie ng after the Joint Economic Commission meeting in the city.

    We would hope that the government will ensure freedom of expression of the coun-trys civil society and give protection to the free thinkers, he said.

    In reply to a question on the involvement of ISIS with the recent killing of foreign na-tionals, Astuto said it is under investigation and we dont know about the result of the investigation.

    Additional Secretary (Europe wing) Abul Masnur Md Faizullah denied the existence of ISIS in Bangladesh and said the government is determined to bring the perpetrator under trial.

    However, EU has expressed its satisfac-tion over trade and business environment in Bangladesh and promised to provide addi-

    tional trade facilities.As a least developed country (LDC), Bang-

    ladesh now enjoys the bene ts of most fa-voured nation under the Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement.

    Under the EBA, 48 LDCs, including Bang-ladesh, are getting duty-free and quota-free access to the EU for their all products, except arms and ammunition.

    Faizullah said EU assured to continue its support for the development of Bangladesh. EU is providing support in strengthening democratic governance, food and nutrition security, and education and skills develop-ment.

    They also assured to provide support to implement multi-annual indicative pro-gramme for 20142020, EU key principles and directions, the Seventh Five-Year Plan and Sustainable Development Goals.

    EU laid importance on development co-operation programmes with Bangladesh in the area of ongoing programmes related to water, waste, energy, environment, social infrastructure, transport, development of small and medium enterprises and higher education.

    The meeting also discussed some impor-tant issues, including the governments new economic development initiatives like the blue economy and capacity building for e -cient project management. l

    Three more witnesses testify in Rajeeb murder casen Md Sanaul Islam TipuThree more prosecution witnesses yester-day gave depositions in the case led over the killing of Gonojagoron Moncho activist Ahmed Rajeeb Haider murder in the capital.

    Judge Syeed Ahmed of Dhaka Speedy Tri-al Tribunal 3 recorded the deposition of Md Anower Hossain, Nur Amin and Md Al-Amin.

    Defence counsels Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and Khairul Islam Liton cross-examined the witnesses. The tribunal also xed today for the next hearing.

    Special Public Prosecutor Md Mahbubur Rahman said they would have to conclude the trial in 135 working days.

    With this, a total of twenty two witness-es including Rajeebs father Dr Nazimud-din, younger brother Newaz Mortaja Haider, cousin Kazi Galibul Islam gave depositions in the case.

    On January 28, 2014, DB Inspector Nibaran Chandra Barman submitted a charge-sheet accusing eight persons including Ansarullah Bangla Team Chief Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani.

    The other seven charge-sheeted accused are former students of North South Univer-sity (NSU).

    Ahmed Rajeeb Haider, an activist of the Shahbagh movement, was hacked to death in Pallabi area of capital on February 15, 2013.

    After the murder, his father Dr Nazimud-din led the case with Pallabi police station. l

  • Coxs Bazar 29 23Dhaka 30 19 Chittagong 29 22 Rajshahi 30 17 Rangpur 29 16 Khulna 31 17 Barisal 30 18 Sylhet 30 14T E M P E R AT U R E F O R E C A S T F O R TO DAY

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015News 5

    DT

    Source: Accuweather/UNB

    D H A K ATODAY TOMORROW

    SUN SETS 5:14PM SUN RISES 6:21AM

    YESTERDAYS HIGH AND LOW31.9C 15.9C

    Patuakhali SrimangalTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12DRY WEATHER

    Source: IslamicFinder.org

    Fajr: 4:51am | Zohr: 11:42am Asr: 3:38pm | Magrib: 5:14pmEsha: 6:44pm

    PRAYERTIMES

    ACC: Public hearing is the new weapon to ght corruptionn Adil SakhawatThe Anti-Corruption Commission has started holding public hearings against corrupt o -cials as a new approach to ensure transparen-cy and accountability in government o ces, the ACC chief has said.

    The commission has arranged public hearings in di erent government o ces to ensure transparency and accountability among the public servants to provide service to the people, ACC Chairman M Bodiuzzam-an said yesterday.

    Public Hearing is the commissions new initiative to ght corruption. If after this initi-ative the government o cials do not change their mentality, the ACC will not hesitate to take action against the corrupt o cials, he told a meeting at the ACC auditorium.

    The negligence and corruption of some unscrupulous government o cials were bar-ring people from getting the proper services they seek, he added.

    Also speaking there, ACC Commissioner (Investigation) M Sahabuddin Chuppu said corruption would decrease if people came to know about the bad e ects of corruption.

    For that goal, the commission is now arranging public hearing in the government o ces to make the people aware about their rights to get services, he added.

    Another ACC commissioner Nasiruddin Ahmed said: Providing services to people is civil servants constitutional responsibility. l

    Mosharraf: Clear basements being used for purposes other than car parkingn UNBHousing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain yesterday instructed the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to clear the basements of buildings being used for purposes other than car parking.

    He came up with the instruction during a visit to the Rajuk headquarters in the capital.

    The minister said many buildings are us-ing basements commercially though those are meant only for car parking on the Rajuk approved architectural plan of the buildings.

    As a result, he said, cars are being parked on roads leading to tra c congestions.

    Mentioning that Rajuk has to do everything possible to make Dhaka livable, Mosharraf said in cases of necessity, residen-tial buildings of Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Ba-nani, Baridhara and Uttara can be permitted for commercial uses after veri cation and payment of fees.

    But, the guesthouses built in residential areas will not be allowed for commercial means in any way, he warned.

    The minister also instructed Rajuk of- cials to make Uttara third phase projects - Purbachal and Jhilmil - fully inhabitable within three years.

    Housing and Public Works Ministry addi-tional secretary M Bazlul Karim Chowdhury and Rajuk acting chairman Abdur Rahman were also present at the meeting. l

    Justice still elusive for Samiuls fathern Md Sanaul Islam TipuFive years have elapsed after the brutal mur-der of four-year-old Samiul Azim Wa in the capitals Adabar area but the trial has not yet ended.

    Samiuls mother Ayesha Humayra Esha killed her son on June 23, 2010, in the house as her illicit relationship with Md Shamsuz-zaman Arif alias Bakku was exposed to the boy. Arif was an accomplice in the killing.

    The case is still pending at Dhakas Fourth Special Judges Court due to non-appearance of prosecution witnesses in court for giving depositions.

    Sources said the witnesses fear appearing in court as the prime accused, Shamsuzzam-an, has threatened them not to give deposi-tions against him, causing the trial to move at a snails pace.

    It has also been alleged that the prose-cution is reluctant to produce witnesses in court.

    The court has so far recorded depositions of 17 prosecution witnesses out of 31 since the trial began.

    The courts Public Prosecutor Faruquzz-man Bhuiyan Tipu said the trial had dragged on for too long.

    We are trying our best to dispose of the case but the absence of witnesses has been a big obstacle.

    On the day of the murder, Samiuls father KR Azim lodged the case with Adabar police station accusing his wife Esha and Shamsu-zzaman.

    On October 25, 2011, O cer-in-Charge of Adabar police station Kazi Shahin Haque submitted the charge sheet.

    It was mentioned in the charge sheet that the accused had killed Samiul as he hap-pened to see Esha and Shamsuzzaman in an intimate state in the house.

    After the murder, RAB arrested Esha and Shamsuzzaman.

    On June 28, 2010, Shamsuzzaman con-fessed to killing the child with the help of Esha.

    On February 20 last year, Shamsuzzaman was granted a four-week bail from the High Court and immediately went into hiding.

    After obtaining bail, he reportedly threat-ened Samiuls father not to present witnesses in court against him by saying that the father would face the same fate as his son.

    Azim reported the threat to police and led a general diary with Pallabi police sta-tion in March last year.

    Esha also was bailed in the case two months after Shamsuzzaman was granted bail.

    Mentioning the recent trials of the mur-ders of Rajon and Rakib, Azim told the Dhaka Tribune: I will also get justice if the govern-ment wants. l

    Verdict on Fakhruls bail petitions Nov 16n Tribune ReportThe High Court is expected to deliver its judg-ment on three bail petitions in three cases led against BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on November 16.

    Completing the rules hearing which were issued over the petitions in three arson and vandalism cases, the High Court bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Md Khashruzzaman xed the date yesterday.

    On June 21, the High Court had granted ad interim bail to the BNP leader and issued sep-arate three rules asking the government as to why he should not be granted regular bail in the cases.

    The Supreme Court on July 13 gave him six weeks bail on medical ground. His bail was extended two times.

    On November 2, the Appellate Division asked him to surrender before a trial court rejecting his plea of bail extension in those cases led with Paltan police station on Jan-uary 4, 5 and 6.

    It also directed the High Court bench to hear and dispose of the rules in two weeks.

    The next day, the Metropolitan Magistrate concerned had sent Fakhrul to jail on his sur-render. l

    Teachers of non-MPO institutions cover their faces with black pieces of clothing in front of the National Press Club yesterday as part of ongoing protests demanding MPO bene ts for such institutions yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

  • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015News6DT

    16th death anniversary of Hasna Hena Qadir today

    n Tribune ReportToday is the 16th death anni-versary of Hasna Hena Qadir, mother of Nadeem Qadir a

    journalist and press minister of Bangladesh High Commis-sion in London.

    She was one of the found-ing members of Ekatturer Gha-tak Dalal Nirmul Committee.

    On the occasion, a milad mah l will be held and food will be distributed among the poor in Dhaka.

    She was the wife of Lt Col M Abdul Qadir, who was mar-tyred during the Liberation War and was reburied with state honour at Qadirabad Cantonment in Natore in 2011 as per order of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. l

    199 arrested, Jihadi books seized in Chittagong n Tribune Report At least 199 leaders and activists of the BNP, Jamaat-Islami and Shibir were arrested from di erent parts of Chittagong district yester-day on charges of subversive act.

    Police arrested 15 leaders and activists of the Islami Chhattra Shibir, the student front of the Jamaat-e-Islami, while they were hold-

    ing a secret meeting at Abdur Rob dormitory of Chittagong University.

    During the drive, three sacks of stone, a good number of Jihadi books were also re-covered from the dormitory, said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Hathazari Circle Mosiuddowla Reza.

    Of the detainees, two were identi ed as hall unit president of Shibir Md Jahid, student

    of Zoology department and general secretary Jubayer, a student of soil science department.

    Proctor of the CU Ali Azgar said acting on secret information police raided the dormito-ry around 3:30pm and detained 15 leaders and activists of Shibir after three hours raid.

    Legislative processes would be taken against the persons after verifying their iden-tity, said the police o cial.

    Meanwhile, police in overnight drives ar-rested 184 persons, including four activists of Jamaat-Shibir, and BNP from di erent upazilas.

    Police recovered a gun, two rounds of cartridge, 108 litres of liquor, 2,000 pieces of yaba tablets from Satkania upazila and Chan-danish upazila respectively, said Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammed Naimul Hasan. l

    Listed criminal Arman killed n Our Correspondent,

    Narayanganj

    Listed criminal Arman Hos-sain, 40, was hacked to death by miscreants on the Dha-ka-Chittagong Highway at Sonargoan, Naraynganj yes-terday.

    O cer-in-Charge of Sonar-gaon police station Shah Mo-hammad Manjur Kader said a gang of unidenti ed assail-ants swooped on Arman and hacked him indiscriminately

    with sharp weapons in front of A a CNG pump station when he was returning to home from Dhaka around 5pm. He died on the spot.

    Arman was accused in sev-eral cases, including extor-tion, snatching and robbery, said the OC, adding that mo-tive behind the killing could not be known immediately.

    The body was sent to Narayganj General Hospital for an autopsy. A case has been led. l

    Summit Power wins ICSB national award n Aminur Rahman RaselSummit Power Ltd (SPL) has been awarded the ICSB Nation-al Award for Corporate Gov-ernance Excellence 2014 in the energy and Power Companies category.

    This is the second consecu-tive year that the Summit Pow-er has achieved the honour.

    Ayesha Aziz Khan, Finance Director and Lt Gen (Retd) Abdul Wadud, Managing Di-rector, of the Summit Power received the award from Chief Guest and Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith at the Grand Ball Room, Sonargaon Hotel on Tuesday.

    It should be noted that

    Summit Power and its subsidi-ary company Summit Purban-chol Power Co Ltd (SPPCL) re-ceived rst and second ICMAB Best Corporate Award-2014 respectively.

    Summit Power Ltd also re-ceived the prestigious Global CSR Excellence and Leader-ship Award presented by the World CSR Congress in Mum-bai, India in February 2015.

    Last year, Summit Meghnaghat Power Company Limited (SMPCL), subsidiary of Summit Group received the Best Power Generation Project award under the private sec-tor power generation projects category during the National Electricity Week-2014. l

  • INSIDE

    7DTWorld

    Few takeways from the 4th GOP debateRepublican candidates covered plenty of political ground Tuesday during their partys fourth primary debate of the 2016 presiden-tial race, from immigration and the Islamic State group to taxes and Hillary Clinton. PAGE 8

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    Europe hopes to stall migration at meeting with AfricaLeaders of the European Union meet African counterparts on Malta on Wednesday, hop-ing pledges of cash and other aid can slow the ow of migrants crossing the Mediterra-nean from the worlds poorest continent to wealthy Europe. PAGE 9

    German intelligence spied on FBI, UN bodiesGermanys foreign intelligence service spied on targets including French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the FBI and the UN chil-drens fund, a media report said Wednesday. PAGE 10

    EU moves ahead with labelling goods made in Israeli settlementsIsrael calls it shameful, says may a ect EU peace rolen Reuters, Brussels/JerusalemThe European Union published new guide-lines on Wednesday for labelling products made in Israeli settlements, a move Brussels said was technical but Israel branded dis-criminatory and damaging to peace e orts with the Palestinians.

    Drawn up over three years by the Europe-an Commission, the guidelines mean Israeli producers must explicitly label farm goods and other products that come from settle-ments built on land occupied by Israel if they are sold in the European Union.

    The decision comes at a time of height-ened tension between Israel and the Pales-tinians, amid a wave of deadly attacks by Palestinians targeting Israelis. The violence, in which 12 Israelis and more than 70 Pales-tinians have been killed, is in part fuelled by the occupation and the growth of settle-ments.

    Israeli o cials, briefed that the decision was coming, were quick to denounce it. The foreign ministry said it was a political move designed to pressure Israel over its settle-ments policy. It summoned the EU ambas-sador to Israel.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Washington on an o cial visit, called the decision hypocritical and a dou-ble standard, saying the EU was not taking similar steps in hundreds of territorial con- icts elsewhere in the world.

    The European Union should be ashamed of itself, he said. We do not accept the fact that Europe is labelling the side being at-tacked by terrorist acts.

    The EUs position is that the lands Israel has occupied since the 1967 Middle East war - including the West Bank, East Jerusalem

    and the Golan Heights - are not part of the internationally recognised borders of Israel.

    As such, goods from there cannot be la-belled Made in Israel and should be la-belled as coming from settlements, which the EU considers illegal under international law.

    Its an indication of origin, not a warn-ing label, the EU ambassador to Israel, Lars Faaborg-Andersen, told Reuters.

    Britain, Belgium and Denmark already a x labels to Israeli goods, di erentiating between those from Israel proper and those, particularly fruits and vegetables, that come from the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank. Now, all 28 EU member states would have to apply the same labelling.

    While there is no EU o cial wording, goods must carry the word settlement on the tag when sold in European shops. If an Israeli farmer refuses, a retail outlet can attach the label themselves, as the Europe-an Commission has su cient information about where goods come from.

    Israels foreign ministry said the move singled Israel out and was potentially harm-ful to long-standing peace e orts.

    We regret that the EU has chosen, for political reasons, to take such an exception-al and discriminatory step, inspired by the boycott movement, it said in a statement.

    Product labelling will strengthen the radical elements advocating a boycott against Israel and denying Israels right to exist, contradicting positions the EU public-ly opposes.

    Double standard chargeTwo elements have particularly enraged Israeli o cials. They see the measures as an e ective boycott of Israel - akin to the

    Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that has gained trac-tion in recent years - and say other cases of long-standing occupation, such as Moroc-cos seizure of Western Sahara, are not treat-ed in the same way.

    The EU dismisses the suggestion of a boy-cott, pointing out that it is not telling con-sumers what not to buy. Those who do not want to buy Israeli settlement goods proba-bly already avoid them, and those that sup-port the settlements may now more actively seek out settlement produce.

    The question of a double-standard is harder for the EU, which has been criticised over Western Sahara in the past. When it comes to goods from northern Cyprus, seized by Turkey in 1974, the EU calls it an internal issue.

    The details of the guidelines, set out in a ve-page document, were published online, making clear that they involve no changes to existing laws but are merely clari cations.

    Israels Economy Ministry estimates the impact of Wednesdays decision will be about $50 million a year, a ecting fresh pro-duce such as grapes and dates, wine, poul-try, honey, olive oil and cosmetics made from Dead Sea minerals.

    That is around a fth of the $200-$300m worth of goods produced in settlements each year, but a drop in the ocean next to the $30bn of goods and services traded between Israel and the European Union each year.

    Israeli farmers and wine growers in the West Bank said they were worried about the impact on their business and the knock-on a ect on Palestinians who work on their farms. Some have already begun diversify-ing to markets in Russia and Asia to escape the EU rules. l

    BIGSTOCK

  • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015World8DT

    SOUTH ASIA Massive protest in Kabul over decapitation of Shia HazarasThousands of protesters marched co ns containing the decapitated bodies of seven Shia Hazaras through Kabul Wednesday to demand justice for the gruesome behead-ings, which the UN says may be considered a war crime. Demonstrators gathered in west Kabul and walked through the rain bearing the co ns draped in green to the gates of the presidential palace, where organisers said they were planning to stage a sit-in until their demands were met by the government. -AFP

    ASIA PACIFICHRW: Indonesia not honouring vow to allow media access to PapuaIndonesia is failing to allow free access to all foreign journalists to Papua despite a pledge by President Joko Widodo to lift reporting restrictions in the restive eastern region, Human Rights Watch warned Wednesday. Widodo announced in May that decades-old curbs on overseas media reporting from Papua, where poorly armed independence ghters have for years waged a low-level insurgency against the central government, would be lifted with immediate e ect. -AFP

    MIDDLE EASTClashes erupt in West Bank on anniversary of Arafat deathDozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank Wednesday, the anniversary of the death of their leader, Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian health ministry said. At least four people were wounded by live ammunition in Al-Bireh, near Ramallah, the ministry said, adding that doctors were operating to try to save the life of one person shot in the heart. Another six Palestinians were hit with live ammunition in clashes in the city of Tulka-rem, north of Tel Aviv. The Israeli army said its forces had responded to attacks. -AFP

    INDIAModi visits Britain, will sign 8bn-worth dealsIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ad-dress a mass rally on a visit to Britain this week that supporters hope will help him reassert his authority on the global stage. India and Britain could announce deals worth 8-12bn during the visit, according to diplomats, with Modi keen to buy 20 more BAE Systems Hawk train-er aircraft to be made in Bengaluru. -REUTERS

    CHINAChina splurges on worlds biggest online shopping spreeChinese internet users spent billions of dollars in the planets biggest online shop-ping splurge Wednesday, as Singles Day hit new heights, despite slowing growth in the worlds second-largest economy. The cumulative national bill for the day-long commercial orgy dwarfed Americans online spending over the ve-day frenzy from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday last year. Singles Day is not a traditional Chinese festi-val, but e-commerce giant Alibaba has been pushing November 11 -- a date heavy on ones, the loneliest number -- since 2009. -AFP

    Spain seeks to block Catalonia secession bid in courtn Reuters, MadridSpanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Wednesday his government had led an appeal with the Constitutional Court in a bid to block an independence drive by Cat-alonia regions local assembly and preserve Spanish national unity.

    Catalonias regional parliament passed a resolution on Monday calling for secession from Spain, with the aim of forming a Cat-alan republic within 18 months and start-ing to set up state institutions, such as a tax o ce.

    Its not just a reaction to a motion passed in parliament, this is about defend-ing a whole country, Rajoy told a news con-ference after a cabinet meeting, adding the northeastern region would not be allowed to split from Spain.

    This is a blatant disregard for the states institutions. They are trying to do away with democracy. I will not allow it, he said.

    The row over Catalonia has escalated dra-matically with weeks to go to a national elec-tion in December, dominating political cam-paigns as parties such as Rajoys centre-right

    Peoples Party (PP) call for Spanish unity.Spains Constitution does not allow any

    region to break away and if the court agrees to process the central governments appeal later on Wednesday the Catalan assemblys resolution will be suspended for several months.

    If Catalan leaders continue to press ahead with the independence bid under those circumstances, it could further drive up tensions between Barcelona and Madrid since Rajoy vowed to take more steps if needed against local representatives.

    Parties favouring a split from Spain won a majority of seats in the Catalan parliament in September, though they fell short of half the vote.

    Acting regional head Artur Mas, who ran the Catalan government during years of economic crisis that saw the independence movement swell, is ghting for political survival, amid leadership squabbles in the pro-secession camp.

    Mas lost a Catalan assembly vote on Tuesday to be reinstated as regional presi-dent, though further rounds of voting will be held. l

    WHO SAYS WHAT

    Few takeways from the 4th GOP debateRepublican candidates covered plenty of political ground Tuesday during their partys fourth pri-mary debate of the 2016 presidential race, from immigration and the Islamic State group to taxes and Hillary Clinton.

    Here are 10 of the best quotes by the eight candidates on stage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin--

    Back to the pastFirst of all, thank you for not asking me what I said in the 10th grade, Co-frontrunner Ben Carson, after a week of intense vetting by reporters who looked deep into his past, including his own personal ac-counts of his violent adolescence half a century ago.

    Brick by brickIf you think walls dont work, all you have to do is ask Israel, Donald Trump, on his controversial plans to build a wall on the southern US border with Mexico.

    The Clinton wayA Clinton presidency will corrode the character of this nation. Why? Because of the Clinton way. Say whatever you have to, lie as long as you can get away with it, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, o ering sharp criticism of the likely Democratic nominee.

    Piling on HillaryHillary Clinton has said that Barack Obamas pol-icies get an A really? former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who listed woes of the Obama adminis-tration, ranging from a discouraged work force to high poverty levels to kids on food stamps.

    Flexing US muscleI know the world is a safer and better place when America is the strongest military power in the world, Senator Marco Rubio, o ering his argu-ment for beefed up US national security opera-tions and military expenditures.

    Dangers of deportationWe all know you cant pick them up and ship them back across the border. It is a silly argument. It is not an adult argument, Ohio Governor John Kasich, at-tacking Trumps immigration plan as unrealistic.

    Taxes aint scriptureThere are more words in the IRS code than there are in the Bible, and not a one of them is as good, Senator Ted Cruz, criticising Washingtons cur-rent tax system and calling for a simple across-the-board at tax of 10%.

    Slash and burnI want a government really, really small, so small you can barely see it, Senator Rand Paul, describing his call for balancing the budget and

    implementing a at tax that shifts less money to Washington.

    Fighting extremism, through RussiaIf Putin wants to knock the hell out of ISIS, Im all for it 100%, Trump, repeating his controver-sial position of supporting Russian intervention in Syria if it helps defeat Islamic State extremists.

    Groundbreaking technologyIt took the telephone 75 years to reach 100 mil-lion users. It took Candy Crush one year to reach 100 million users, Rubio, explaining rapid chang-es in a 21st century world that are leading to an economic transformation. l

    Source: AFP

    UK denies report nuclear deterrent to cost 167bn n Reuters, NackaBritains defence secretary on Tuesday denied that the overall cost of replacing and maintaining Britains nuclear deter-rent would reach 167bn, saying it would be less.

    It was earlier reported that the cost would reach 167bn over its three decade long lifespan, much more than expected for the Trident nuclear deterrent, accord-ing to a lawmakers and the newswires cal-culations based on official figures.

    No, it is absolutely inaccurate. That is not right, Michael Fallon saidin Nac-ka, just outside Stockholm, where he was meeting defence ministers and officials from the Nordic and Baltic countries, the Netherlands, Poland and Germany.

    We will be publishing an updated fig-ure in our five-yearly strategic defence re-view in a couple of weeks time and parlia-ment will then have the latest figure, he added.

    When asked if the cost would be lower, he said Yes, absolutely, without giving more details. l

    No pun intended! The Wi network name and password, of StopHillary, for the Republican Presidential Debate sponsored by Fox Business and the Wall Street Journal at the Milwaukee Theatre is shown in the press le room on Tuesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin AFP

  • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015World 9

    DT

    USAHavana: Cuba, US could soon sign renew ights, mailCuba and the US could soon sign agreements renewing direct ights and mail services be-tween the two countries, Cubas foreign minis-try said Tuesday. The second US-Cuba bilateral meeting also discussed reaching agreements on environmental protections and ghting drug tra cking, the foreign ministrys Gustavo Machin told reporters. The neighbors across the Florida Straits renewed their diplomatic relations in July after a 50-year stando . -AFP

    THE AMERICASArgentine court orders state oil company to disclose Chevron dealArgentinas top court Tuesday ordered the government to publish details of a deal state oil company YPF struck with US giant Chev-ron to exploit shale reserves in the South American country. The ruling followed allegations of secret clauses in the 2013 deal linked to the exploitation of the Lomo Cam-pana shale deposit. -AFP

    UKUK loses top energy rating after green policy U-turnsBritain has lost its top-notch energy policy rating from the UN-accredited World Energy Council after the government prematurely cut some renewable energy subsidies, creating uncertainty about how it will address support in future. The World Energy Council has downgraded Britain to an AAB rating, from AAA, in its annual energy trilemma index, which ranks countries energy and climate policies based on the issues of ener-gy security, equity and sustainability. -REUTERS

    EUROPESerbian PM lays owers for 1995 Srebrenica massacre victims Serbias premier visited the cemetery for Bos-nian Muslim victims of a 1995 Serb massacre in Srebrenica on Wednesday, four months after protesters chased him when he tried to attend a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the wartime atrocity. The appearance by Aleksan-dar Vucic, who was a hardline Serb nationalist during the bloody 1990s break-up of Yugo-slavia, re ected improving relations between Serbia and Bosnia since then as well as Serbian ambitions to join the EU. Vucic laid owers at a joint cemetery for the more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed by Belgrade-backed Bos-nian Serb forces in July 1995. -REUTERS

    AFRICAEgypts Sisi pledges transparent plane crash probeEgyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged a transparent probe into the Russian plane crash and cautioned against hasty conclusions, during a visit Wednesday to the airport from where the doomed aircraft took o . Foreign governments including Britain believe a bomb probably brought down the plane on October 31 after it took o from the airport of Egypts Sinai coastal resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The Islamic State jihadist group claimed it downed the plane, killing all 224 people on board. -AFP

    INSIGHT

    Arctic attracting new military scrutiny n AFP, FairbanksIn 2013, US President Barack Obama said the Arctic was peaceful, stable, and free of con ict as he laid out a national strate-gy for the region.

    But just two years later, the rapid re-treat of ocean ice cover, a newly embold-ened Russia and the covetous gaze of na-tions keen to exploit new shipping lanes and vast mineral wealth are putting the Arctics longstanding stability under pres-sure.

    The Arctic is a region that is getting more and more important, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Friday as he visited troops at Fort Wainwright in the Alaskan city of Fairbanks, about 320km south of the Arctic Circle.

    Itll be important to the United States, itll be important to other countries. Itll be important that we keep the peace and a rules-based kind of order.

    Alaska and the Arctic are of key strate-gic importance for the US.

    Missile defence systems are here and planes can over y the North Pole to quick-ly reach destinations across the Northern Hemisphere.

    But budget constraints mean the Penta-gon is weighing plans to slash the presence of some 2,600 specialised cold-weather troops at a base in Anchorage.

    Meanwhile, Russia launched elaborate Arctic war games this summer involving thousands of troops as it tries to bolster claims to the regions vast hydrocarbon and mineral wealth.

    And when Obama visited Alaska the following month, ve Chinese naval ves-sels were spotted in the Bering Sea be-tween Russia and Alaska. It was believed to be the rst time Chinese military ships were seen in the area.

    Critics of the Obama administration say the United States is failing to grasp an ur-gent need to boost US military might in the

    Arctic region.Am I predicting a Russian invasion of

    Alaska next week? No. But does it make sense to be withdrawing our well-trained Arctic warriors in the face of this? Strate-gically it doesnt make any sense, Repub-lican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska said.

    A 2013 Pentagon strategy document for the Arctic warned against promoting a high pro le for the US military in the re-gion, saying it could trigger escalating ri-valries with other armies.

    There is some risk that the perception that the Arctic is being militarized may lead to an arms race mentality, it said.

    A new cold war?After Vladimir Putin began his third term as Russian president in 2012, he started trying to boost his countrys dominance in its Arctic region.

    Sullivan this week read out a list of alarming statistics to the Senate Armed

    Services Committee about Russias mili-tary commitment.

    He said a new Russian Arctic command will include four new Arctic brigades, 50 air elds by 2020, increased long-range air patrols by Russian bombers and a total of 40 conventional and nuclear icebreakers, with 11 more planned.

    Many of the bases will be refurbished Cold War facilities that had fallen into dis-repair after the collapse of the Soviet Un-ion.

    By contrast, the US only has two ice-breakers and one of them is broken, Sul-livan said. He suggested America needs at least four more.

    Its a joke, he said of the Pentagons current Arctic plans. Its not a serious military strategy document.

    More than 20% of the worlds hydro-carbon reserves yet to be discovered are situated in the Arctic, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has said. l

    The Arctic tundra, which is quickly becoming a hotspot for top military powers BIGSTOCK

    Europe hopes to stall migration at meeting with African Reuters, VallettaLeaders of the European Union meet Afri-can counterparts on Malta on Wednesday, hoping pledges of cash and other aid can slow the ow of migrants crossing the Med-iterranean from the worlds poorest conti-nent to wealthy Europe.

    The summit among the 16th-century forti cations at Valletta was conceived six months ago after the sinking of a boat mak-ing from Libya with the loss of over 800 lives forced embarrassed EU governments to abandon a hope that the sea would be their moat against human desperation and to step up naval rescue missions.

    That initially brought a surge in arrivals, mainly in Italy as well as Malta, the EUs small-est state. But numbers tailed o and Europe

    is gripped by new concerns further east: this year an unprecedented half a million, war refugees from Syria and economic migrants, have reached Greek islands from Turkey.

    That has left the Valletta meeting to focus on longer term problems -- such as helping Africa create jobs or face global warming that is enlarging the desert -- and on deals to send home hundreds of thousands of Af-ricans already in Europe.

    Negotiations with Turkey, temporary home to over 2m Syrians, on slowing de-partures to Greece will be at the centre of further talks among the EU leaders alone on Thursday.

    They will also hold fraught discussions on how measures they have agreed since April have still to take e ect, as a continued ow of migrants via the Balkans strains the

    system of open borders among European states close to breaking point.

    The summit chair, European Council President Donald Tusk, told the Maltese parliament on Tuesday that an expected doubling of Africas population by 2050 and the strain that refugees from con ict in the Middle East were placing on Europeans will to keep their borders open to each other made action essential.

    The precondition for conducting our own European migration policy is restoring e ective control over our external borders, said the former Polish premier, noting Mal-tas role in the clash of Christian and Muslim powers for control of the Mediterranean 500 years ago and calling for partnership with African and other neighbours to control to-days ows of people. l

  • World10DTTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    German intelligence spied on FBI, UN bodiesn AFP, BerlinGermanys foreign intelligence service spied on targets including French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the FBI and the UN childrens fund, a media report said Wednesday.

    The claims are awkward for Chancellor An-gela Merkel, whose o ce oversees Germanys intelligence activities, after she angrily told

    Washington in 2013 that spying among friends isnt on following reports the US National Se-curity Agency (NSA) had bugged her cellphone.

    The report, by Berlin public radio, adds to the list of targets the BND has allegedly spied on, citing the BNDs selectors -- phone numbers, email and IP addresses -- for sur-veillance which has been handed over to a parliamentary oversight panel.

    According to RBB Inforadio, which did not name its sources, the service has spied on Fabius, the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the US Federal Bureau of Investi-gation and the UN bodies UNICEF and WHO.

    Also on the list were many European and American companies, including weap-ons makers such as Lockheed of the United States, said the report.

    The list also included a German diplomat who had from 2008-11 served as head of the EU observer mission in Georgia, followed by senior EU postings in Brussels and Turkey.

    German media have previously revealed that the BND had spied in cooperation with the NSA on the French presidency and for-eign ministry, the European Commission and other targets. l

  • INSIDE

    Bangladesh is rapidly becoming a major sourcing hub for denim products. Nearly twice as many companies as last year are taking part in this weeks Denim Expo, which has attracted hundreds of fashion designers, denim fabric makers, and retailers.It follows closely after last months two day Denims and jeans expo that

    brought together 28 companies from Asia, Europe, South America and the US, to showcase the growing involvement of Bangladeshs denim producers in design and innovation.

    It is encouraging to see the rapid growth of such fairs, re ecting the growing impact and scale of denim producers within Bangladeshs RMG sector.

    Bangladesh is the largest supplier of jeans to EU and denim accounts for over $6bn of the countrys $30bn RMG sector.

    Analysts estimate the global market for denim to be worth $60bn and expected to grow at over 8%. There is good cause to believe then that Bangladeshis denim producers can achieve their goal of doubling sales to over $13bn in the next ve years.

    With this target in mind, it is welcome to see more denim manufacturers actively investing in the design and development of new products. This is helping them to add value and attract new orders by o ering more of their own new designs. It also bene ts their customers by spreading research and development costs and providing new pathways to innovation.

    It is also encouraging to see more Bangladeshi manufacturers investing in eco-friendly technology to produce sustainable denim. Textile experts estimate that new green systems can not only use fewer chemicals, but can cut use of water by 92% and decrease energy and carbon emissions by over a third.

    As sustainability and environmental issues become ever more integral requirements and concerns for global consumers, it is good to see Bangladeshs manufacturers planning for the future and investing in sustainable growth.

    We hope the attention being drawn by these types of trade fairs will attract further new investment to support the design and innovation needed to grow the countrys denim sector and take the industry higher up the value chain.

    Keep investing in design and sustainability to move up the value chain

    My mom, your mom

    The handshake of the century?Both sides can mutually gain from the process if the two sides respect each others di erences, yet embrace the simi-larities. Could this be a good example to other divided nations to shake hands?

    Be heardWrite to Dhaka Tribune

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

    Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com

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

    com www.dhakatribune.com

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    https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

    PAGE 12

    PAGE 13

    PAGE 14

    License, pleaseIf the drivers information is displayed on the vehicle, then even if a driver ees the scene after a road accident, the passengers, police, or media will have information about the driver. This will make it simpler for victims or the authorities to le charges against the driver, and it will be easier for the police to track down the driver.

    I am not at all surprised when a picture of our own prime minister cooking biriyani for her son makes waves, or when we hear of PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi making time to cook for her kids. A mother is always a mother, regardless of her profession Innovation sets Bangladeshs denim

    industry up for growth

    11DTEditorial

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    BIG

    STO

    CK

  • n Gwendolyn Claire Lin

    The leaders of China and Taiwan met for the rst time in six decades in Singapore last Saturday. Chinese President Xi Jin Ping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying Jiu presented themselves in a hotel ballroom packed with photojournalists against a backdrop

    of golden yellow, the traditional colour of Chinese emperors. Continuous camera ashes captured the historical moment of the symbolic handshake that lasted more than a minute.

    This moment is very signi cant because three decades of hostility followed the split in 1949 resulting in a bitter and strained period.

    Both sides have been strong on their stands. The mainland demands that Taiwan be uni ed, and has threatened the use of force if necessary.

    While many citizens of the democratic Taiwan opt to maintain a separate status, each leader hopes to seal the legacy as the one who nally patches up decades of division to a mutually acceptable unity.

    No agreement has been signed, nor joint statements issued.

    The meeting was hailed as a sign of a better future for the next generation and stability in international relations.

    The setting was on neutral grounds, with no national ags present and was not orchestrated by the US or any other international body.

    The two leaders referred to each other as Mr Xi and Mr Ma. Before going into closed-door meetings, the opening remarks by the two men in front of the media were brief but telling.

    Xi said: We are all Chinese and no force can separate a family apart. He also brought up that small steps from the past have led to the meeting today, especially the past seven years, which have been the most stable with increased economic exchange. In conclusion, he said the reason for the sit-down was not to repeat the bitter past, but to look forward to a brighter future.

    Ma said: In the recent past, we have replaced tension with communication, and prioritise collaboration and co-operation while adding that all this sums up to intentions for a peaceful relationship forward.

    Critics of Ma in Taiwan are worried that the meeting with Xi will pave the way for the mainland to gain greater in uence over the democratic island instead of opening dialogue. It may also further isolate Taiwan from the global platform.

    However, Ma said at a post-meeting news conference that he had discussed with Xi the desires of the Taiwanese people for greater participation in the global society.

    The response of Xi, according to Ma, was that China would appropriately handle Taiwans involvement in global a airs on a case-by-case basis.

    The peaceful uni cation endorsed by China in 1979 and 1993 meetings of government representatives from each side, in Singapore, established the groundwork for future talks.

    Little had been done after 1993, until Mas election in 2008 that resulted in 23 agreements on trade, education exchange, and other technical matters. Saturdays meeting was seen as moving the relationship into a new stage.

    As a Taiwanese living abroad, I salute the e orts of both sides for opting for communication and peaceful dialogue. I comprehend and understand many nationalist Taiwaneses views to stand alone.

    However, in such a divided era today, would it not be better to work together? We have more in common as Chinese people.

    What I am implying may not be politically acceptable, but we may come to terms regarding business and economic agreements. Both sides can mutually gain from the process if the two sides respect each others di erences, yet embrace the similarities.

    Could this be a good example to other divided nations to shake hands? l

    Gwendolyn Claire Lin is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Historical Studies, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Norway.

    The handshake of the century?

    Both sides can mutually gain from the process if the two sides respect each others di erences, yet embrace the similarities. Could this be a good example to other divided nations to shake hands?

    Just a photo-op, or a new era in Taiwan-China relations? REUTERS

    Taiwan and China may nally be on the verge of putting decades of hostility behind them and paving the way for peaceful dialogue

    Opinion12DTTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

  • Opinion 13DT

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    n Mamun Rashid

    It was May 10. I had just landed at New Jerseys Liberty International Airport from Cleveland with my spouse. We called the cab company we always use to drop us home.

    The reception guy made a weird sound and told us: Hey man, dont you know it is Mothers Day today? All cabs are booked. In fact, Im leaving work to take my mom out to lunch. Bad luck for us, after almost half an hour of struggle, we nally managed to get a cab.

    On our way back home, we saw many people guiding wheelchairs, pushing their moms around in the park, or having lunch with them at various restaurants.

    It is the North American version of honouring mothers -- a modern celebration of motherhood, the maternal bond, and the in uence of mothers in society.

    I didnt have a clue about this particular Mothers Day till my son, who is studying in North America, greeted his mom, and insisted that I take her and him out to dinner.

    This little boy, I didnt know how, had also bought a small gift for his mom as a token of gratitude. I used to think that every day is Mothers Day for us, for any son or daughter.

    I lost my mother when I was only 12. The poor woman, who gave birth to a lot of children, died out of maltreatment I guess. Just a few days after the death, I was admitted to Cadet College.

    Back in those days, boys from Class VIII used to pick on students from Class VII for almost no reason. I used to cry and remember my mother, thinking that my father would have never sent me to Cadet College if my mother were still alive.

    It all started in the 1850s, whena womens rights activist named Ann Reeves Jarvis opened Mothers Day work clubs in West Virginia to improve sanitary conditions, and to try and lower infant mortality rates by ghting disease and curbing milk contamination, at least according to historian Katharine Antolini ofWest Virginias Wesleyan College.

    Largely through Jarviss e orts, Mothers Day came to be observed in a growing number of cities and states.

    As I mentioned earlier, we were a big family. Yet, every one of my siblings used to

    think that our mother loved him or her the most. Our dad was quite loving and caring as well, but it was only our mother who used to hear cries of I am hungry, I am cold, its too warm, can I have this? I want to watch that, and every other query/complaint in between.

    The only question our father was ever asked by us, I am certain, was: Where is mom?

    I have seen my own spouse su ering a lot in her motherhood. Whenever my son got impatient with his mom, I would tell him: Remember, you made your mom cry a lot, she wanted that last piece of cake too, but could not, because you were there. She is always afraid you might get hurt. She knows she is not perfect. She watches over you in your sleep. She carried you a lot longer than nine months, and it broke her heart every time you cried. She always puts you rst, and she would do it all over again for you.

    The supposedly richest man in Bangladesh, the late Jahurul Islam, used to touch his mothers feet every day in the morning before going out and again after

    coming back home while coming back home. Another known-to-be-rich guy, owner of a

    posh hotel and a bank in Dhaka, put an eleva-tor inside his two-storey house for his moth-er to be able to move around more freely.

    I am sure there are thousands of examples of mothers being treated the way they should. I am not at all surprised when a picture of our own prime minister cooking biriyani for her son makes waves, or when we hear of PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi making time to cook for her kids.

    A mother is always a mother, regardless of her profession.

    My spouse, though God-fearing, cannot really be put under the category of being pious. I was a little surprised when I saw her o ering long prayers late one night. When I asked her about it, her eyes began to well up, softly saying: Its our sons physics exam tomorrow.

    Its not only about motherhood, its about a lot more than that. Mothers are dedicated, committed, caring, friendly, and ever-so-tolerant. There is no other person in this world like ones mother. l

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

    My mom, your mom

    I am not at all surprised when a picture of our own prime minister cooking biriyani for her son makes waves, or when we hear of PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi making time to cook for her kids. A mother is always a mother, regardless of her profession

    A mothers love is not to be taken for granted BIGSTOCK

    You dont need a speci c day to tell you to appreciate your mother

  • Opinion14DTTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    n Ridwan Quaium

    Not a day goes by when a car crash does not take place on our roads and highways. According to a re-port by the World Health Organisa-tion, the country loses an estimated 1.6% of its GDP due to road crashes.

    Speeding and reckless driving are the primary reasons for the high rate of accidents on our roads and highways.

    It is a practice in developed countries that, after a road accident, the drivers involved notify the police and wait at the scene of the crash until the police arrive.

    After the police arrive, they make an o cial record of the accident, and depending on its severity, police may penalise the drivers involved by ning them or even imprisoning them.

    However, in our country, such practice is almost non-existent. This is why, in most reports of road accidents, they state that the driver ed the scene.

    Since documentation is something that is not practiced in our country, it becomes very di cult to track down the driver, because not much information about the driver is known. As a result, it becomes very di cult to le a case or take any other action against the driver at fault.

    Moreover, sometimes, even if drivers responsible for the accident are caught by the police, drivers get bail or get away with their o ense through loopholes. In fact, only 5% of

    drivers at fault are penalised in our country.This gives a message to drivers: No matter

    how you drive, you will not be held account-able for your wrongdoing, and so you, are free to drive however you please. This lack of accountability on the part of drivers is the main reason why the rate of road accidents in our country is comparatively higher than in most developed countries.

    In the proposed road transport law, a pro-vision should be made to make it mandatory to display drivers identi cations on public transport and freight transports. For in-stance, in Thailand, the drivers identi cation is displayed on public transportation such as buses, micro-buses, taxis, etc at all times.

    Some of the information that is displayed includes the drivers name, a photo, license number, date of birth, etc.

    If the drivers information is displayed on the vehicle, then, even if a driver ees the scene after a road accident, the passengers, police, or media will have information about the driver.

    This will make it simpler for victims or the

    authorities to le charges against the driver, and it will be easier for the police to track them down.

    Aside from this law, it should be ensured that drivers responsible for a road accident or tra c law violations, are penalised.

    If drivers at fault continue to get away

    with their crimes, the law of making it man-datory to display drivers identi cations will become ine ective, as drivers will continue to drive recklessly, which will, in e ect, con-tinue to keep our roads and highways unsafe.

    Road accidents do not only have a nega-tive impact on the countrys economy, but also have a negative socio-economic impact on the victims and their families.

    Research has shown that road accidents may force poor families into poverty. As road transport is the main mode of transport in the country, it is important to make road transport safer; otherwise its negative impact may become an obstacle to the development process of the country.

    The proposed road transport law, if implemented and enforced, will certainly make the roads safer.

    However, in addition to the proposed provisions, if it is made mandatory for the driver to display his/her identi cation on public transport and freight transport, and if it is ensured that drivers at fault are penalised according to their o ense, accountability of the drivers will be ensured, which will subsequently force drivers to drive with more caution.

    Such implementation of basic tra c laws and policies will help reduce the rate of road accidents, making our countrys roads much safer in the process. l

    Ridwan Quaium is a transport engineer working in Thailand.

    License, pleaseIf drivers were easier to identify, we might see fewer crashes on our roads

    If the drivers information is displayed on the vehicle, then even if a driver ees the scene after a road accident, the passengers, police, or media will have information about the driver. This will make it simpler for victims or the authorities to le charges against the driver, and it will be easier for the police to track down the driver.

    We need better accountability for drivers RAJIB DHAR

  • 15DTBusiness

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    28 listed rms get corporate governance awards A total of twenty eight listed rms received awards for their outstanding contribution to the corporate governance.

    Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the awards to the winning companies in the city yesterday. PAGE 16

    Deadline to comply Banks, NBFIs stock exposure limit may be extended The government is likely to extend the dead-line for commercial banks and non-banking nancial institutions to comply with the capital market exposure limit of 25%. PAGE 18

    Investors desert BRIC funds due to poor returns, weak economic growthSpecialist funds dedicated to the once-vaunted BRIC quartet of emerging markets face a bleak future, as many investors have pulled out due to years of collective underperformance by the bourses of Brazil, Russia, India and China. PAGE 17

    Capital market snapshot: WednesdayDSE Broad Index 4,371.5 -0.9%

    Index 1,055.0 -1.0%

    30 Index 1,664.5 -1.0%

    Turnover in Mn Tk 2,550.3 -13.3%

    Turnover in Mn Volume 76.9 -2.7%

    CSEAll Share Index 13,371.3 -0.7%

    30 Index 11,851.5 -1.2%

    Selected Index 8,134.1 -0.7%

    Turnover in Mn Tk 225.5 16.8%

    Turnover in Mn Volume 6.2 -1.7%

    INSIDE

    Ministers unhappy over ADP progress, revenue collectionn Asif Showkat Kallol Planning ministry has expressed dissatis-faction over the implementation situation of the annual development programme as some ministries and divisions are yet to start ground works of the projects.

    Meanwhile, nance ministry is worried about the revenue collection situation in the rst quarter of scal year. NBR blamed slow ADP implementation as one of the rea-sons behind poor revenue.

    The issues were discussed at the Budget Management Committee meeting and Fiscal Coordination Council meetings yesterday, said o cials who also attended the meeting.

    Finance Minister AMA Muhith presided over both the meetings. Planing Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal attended the budget management committee meeting.

    Fiscal Coordination Council meeting cit-ed a plan to make an ordinance instead of amendments to the existing Bank Company Act for extension of duration of banks capi-tal exposure in the stock market.

    According to the Bank Company Act 2013 (amendment), the banks cannot invest more than 25% of their capital in stocks.

    An o cial said Finance Minister AMA Muhith expressed his concerns about the shortfall of revenue earnings at the coordi-nation council meeting.

    And Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Ka-mal was unhappy over poor project imple-mentation by several ministries and divi-

    sions. He talked about this situation at the budget management committee meeting.

    The meetings discussed issues like banks share market exposure, shortfall of NBR and non-NBR revenue collections and economic indicators.

    Among the economic indicators, the exports in four months to October earned $10.5bn against the scal years target of $33.5bn. Remittance totalled $12bn, which is expected to cross $15bn at the end of De-cember.

    During the July-October, a number of 430,000 people were sent abroad as man-power, which is likely to reach 500,000 in December.

    NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman sought all-out cooperation from all ministries and di-visions to meet the revenue collection target.

    He said if the ministries and divisions is-sue work orders of develop-ment projects and pay dues to NBR in time, the revenue collection will increase.

    In the budget manage-ment committee meeting, planning minister queried LGRD additional secretary that why ADP project works didnt begin in the rst day of a scal year.

    According to the work-ing papers of the commit-tee, the rate of ADP imple-mentation is 6.7% in the

    rst quarter compared to 8.8% during the same period last year.

    The revenue earnings during the Ju-ly-September quarter was 0.6% less than the income generated during the corre-sponding period of the previous scal year, according to the working papers.

    Frustration was expressed at the report as it said annual development programme implementation during the rst quarter was the lowest in last four years.

    The nance ministry in its report said the credit growth in private sector during the rst quarter was 2.63%, compared with 2.91% a year ago, export growth was 0.83% against the last years 0.88%.

    The import registered a negative growth of 2.98% during the period, and the remit-tance also posted a negative growth of 2%, against 22.65% growth a year earlier. l

    A view of an underconstruction yover in Dhaka SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

  • Business16DTTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

    Panel formed to investigate Titas Gas share price slumpn Tribune ReportBangladesh Securities and Exchange Com-mission (BSEC) has formed a panel for prob-ing into the continuous share prices fall of Titas Gas Company Limited.

    A two-member panel has been asked to submit its investigative report within ve working days.

    Over the last one month, the state-owned natural gas transmission and distribution company Titas Gas lost more than 30% in its share prices.

    Yesterday, its stock prices dipped 9.8%-the worst loser of the day-as investors re-leased their holdings after the news that its rst quarter earnings dropped sharply 33.72% compared to the same period a year earlier.

    Titas Gas witnessed higher volume of trade with shares worth almost Tk40 crore changing hands.

    Meanwhile, UFS Popular Life Unit Fund, an open-end mutual fund, got approval from the BSEC to begin its operation.

    The initial size of the fund is 20 crore. Of the fund, Tk20 crore has been allotted for sponsors and Tk60 crore for all investors while per unit value of the fund is Tk20. l

    DSEX slips to six-month lown Tribune ReportStocks extended losses for the sixth consec-utive sessions yesterday with benchmark in-dex DSEX slipping into six-month low, track-ing weak economic cues.

    The sell-o was mainly triggered by power issue on disappointing rst quarter earnings.

    The DSEX lost 39 points or 0.9% to 4,371, its lowest since May 17 this year.

    The Shariah index DSES was down over 11 points or 1% to 1,055. The blue chip compris-ing index DS30 closed at 1,664, declining 16 points to 1,664.

    The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX shed 58 points to 8,134.

    The losses were led by power sector slumping 3.5%, driven by state-owned natu-ral gas transmission and distribution compa-ny Titas Gas.

    Stocks prices of the company dipped 9.8% as investors released their holdings after the news that its rst quarter earnings dropped sharply 33.72% compared to the same period a year earlier.

    Titas Gas witnessed higher volume of trade with shares worth almost Tk40 crore changing hands.

    Non-banking nancial institutions sector was second worst loser, declining almost 2%. It was followed by cement 1.7% and telecom-munications 1%. Almost all other sectors, including bank, pharmaceutical and textile came under selling pressure.

    Trading activities also took a hit as the DSE turnover stood at Tk255 crore, which is 13.3% lower over the previous session value.

    IDLC Investments said volatility surged and put investors in a cautious mood.

    Despite decline in in ation in the month of October, vapid macroeconomic scenario and prevailing uncertainty surrounding the capital market investment outlook kept the investors wobbly, recording low turnover.

    Lanka Bangla Securities said DSEX cut more than 39 points, tracking weakness on fears of continual breaking of support levels in index.

    It said apart from the setback that the market faced, shaky economic cues are also weighing in on investors sentiments. l

    BANGLADESH DENIM EXPO

    Technical know-how, leadership stressed for sustainable growthn Tribune ReportThe global retailers and RMG entrepreneurs yesterday stressed technical know-how and leadership for sustainable growth of apparel industry.

    They also recommended nurturing tal-ent and encouraging the young generation alongside empowering people for sustained growth.

    The recommendations came at a semi-nar on Building Leadership for Sustained Growth organised by the Bangladesh Denim Expo on the occasion of its third show.

    The two-day Bangladesh Denim Expo be-gan yesterday in the capital to promote Bang-ladeshi brands to the global market and share knowledge with the international producers to get acquainted with the latest technolo-gies.

    I do believe in people and their talent. A plenty of talents are here in Bangladesh that need to acquire technical knowledge, said Roger Hubert Regional, head of Bangladesh and Pakistan for H&M/Plus Trading Far East Limited.

    He called for cultivation of leadership in the best interest of business to take the in-dustry to a new direction.

    I do not see any hindrance here. We have to come out of the trend of nding excuses and cultivate the culture of embracing chal-lenges, Roger said, adding

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