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STX to supply car CKD to Bangladeshi company It signed a long-term supply deal with local state-owned enterprise Pragoti Industries for passenger car CKD packages STX Corp., a South Korean general trading company, announced on Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to supply the complete knockdown (CKD) automotive assembly products with Pragoti Industries Ltd., a state-owned enterprise in Bangladesh. CKD involves exporting parts and assembling them locally for sale. Under the MOU, STX will supply passenger car CKD packages to Pragoti Industries in the long term and plans to expand the range of vehicle models, including specialty vehicles, by the end of the year. STX explained that the vehicles manufactured through this arrangement will be prioritized for delivery as official vehicles in Bangladesh. Currently, the 1600cc vehicle is available in the local market in the reconditioned format at around Tk 38 lakh. After local assembly price may come down to 32/33 lakh. https://www.kedglobal.com/automobiles/newsView/ked202403250009

using one, very good product, compared to Chiness brand.

https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/brazilian-foreign-minister-welcomes-bangladeshs-interest-preferential-trade-agreement-825156 UNB 07 April, 2024, 08:20 pm Last modified: 07 April, 2024, 08:46 pm Brazilian foreign minister welcomes Bangladesh's interest in Preferential Trade Agreement The two foreign ministers expressed their resolve to work toward the commencement of the process for negotiating a MERCOSUR-Bangladesh PTA at the earliest opportunity Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Sunday (7 April) welcomed Bangladesh's interest in reaching a MERCOSUR-Bangladesh Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). At the bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, the two sides concurred that this endeavour would enhance business opportunities and foster private sector engagements between Bangladesh, Brazil and other MERCOSUR state parties, significantly contributing to the promotion of South-South cooperation. The two foreign ministers expressed their resolve to work toward the commencement of the process for negotiating a MERCOSUR-Bangladesh PTA at the earliest opportunity. MERCOSUR, or the Southern Common Market, is an economic and political bloc originally comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Bolivia, previously an associate member, gained full membership in 2023. The meeting between Mauro Vieira and Hasan Mahmud was held at state guesthouse Jamuna and the two ministers welcomed the signing of the basic Agreement on Technical Cooperation between Bangladesh and Brazil. This is the first-ever foreign minister-level visit from Brazil. The ministers held "productive discussions" on Bangladesh-Brazil bilateral relations, international and regional initiatives, and multilateral cooperation. They agreed on the importance of increasing cooperation and exchanges in the fields of agriculture, livestock, science, technology and innovation, education, climate change and energy transition, and technical cooperation, among others, according to a joint statement. The ministers warmly welcomed the conclusion of negotiations of the MoU on Sports Cooperation to be signed at an appropriate moment by the sports ministries of the two countries. The proposed MoU represents a significant milestone that mirrors the enduring bond between the peoples which has been cherished for generations. Foreign Minister Hasan recalled the growing interest of countries from the Global South to join BRICS, including Bangladesh. The Brazilian foreign minister affirmed that Bangladesh, as an emerging voice of Global South, could offer substantial contributions to BRICS on a number of issues. The Brazilian foreign minister arrived in Dhaka on Sunday morning to discuss bilateral issues and strengthen trade and investment ties with Bangladesh. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen received Mauro Vieira at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka upon his arrival. The foreign minister of South America's most influential country will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday. He visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 on Sunday afternoon and paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman before his meeting with Hasan Mahmud. State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu also met the Brazilian foreign minister at his place of residence. Hasan Mahmud hosted an iftar and dinner in honour of his Brazilian counterpart on Sunday evening. After his meeting with PM Hasina Monday, Mauro Vieira will visit Square Pharmaceuticals facilities and Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur. On Monday afternoon, the Brazilian foreign minister is scheduled to deliver a lecture on Brazil's priority areas at G20 as the current chair. The event will be held at Foreign Service Academy at 3 pm. The Brazilian foreign minister together with a business delegation will meet business leaders in Dhaka. Country's apex trade body, FBCCI, will host an iftar and dinner in honour of the Brazilian foreign minister and business delegation members on Monday evening. Foreign Minister Hasan described the visit of the foreign minister of Brazil as very significant. The government of Brazil earlier congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her recent election victory. Brazil expressed its willingness to continue deepening relations with Bangladesh, in favour of the development of both countries, the promotion of South-South cooperation, and the fight against poverty, hunger, and climate crisis. Brazil-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, established in 1972, have strengthened in recent years. In 2023, President Lula and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in South Africa. Last year, bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Brazil reached the US$2.3 billion mark. The Brazilian foreign minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 11:55 pm on Monday. Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral) Dr Nazrul Islam will be there at the Dhaka airport to see him off.

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/leather-shipment-recovers-fetches-100-million-9-months-3584231 Jagaran Chakma Sun Apr 7, 2024 08:20 PM Last update on: Sun Apr 7, 2024 10:36 PM Leather shipment recovers, fetches $100 million in 9 months Leather exports rose 9.8% year-on-year in Jul-Mar of FY24 The shipment of leather has started to revive as Bangladesh fetched $100.40 million from the sales of the semi-finished raw materials in July-March of 2023-24, data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) showed. The exports were up 9.8 percent from the identical period a year prior. A spike in the import of semi-finished leather by China is helping local suppliers export a higher volume of the product. According to industry insiders and exporters, China has started to import a significant quantity of semi-finished leather from Bangladesh to remain competitive in the US market by the way of keeping the production cost lower. "Export orders for semi-finished leather from China have increased substantially in the last three to four months," Diponkar Tripura, owner of Life & Race Bangladesh, a manufacturer and exporter of leather and leather goods. The dragging trade row between Washington and Beijing has brought about a positive impact on leather exports from Bangladesh. Besides, the production cost in China has gone up in the last few years driven by a surge in labour wages, prompting manufacturers in the world's second-biggest economy to source raw materials from the South Asian nation. Chinese companies import semi-finished leather from Bangladesh and process them in China before manufacturing finished products in Vietnam and Cambodia for the US markets, said Tripura. If Chinese firms export products from China, the US importers will have to pay an elevated level of tariffs, which are comparatively higher than Vietnam and Cambodia, he said. "Therefore, they are importing raw materials from Bangladesh." Besides, Chinese companies use imported raw materials to meet the demand for their domestic leather goods market, which was valued at $22 billion in 2022. Bangladesh has 161 tanneries that process rawhides into finished leather. However, 98 percent of them are not compliant as per global standards, forcing local suppliers to sell semi-finished leather, said Tripura. Arifur Rahman Chowdhury, general manager of ABC Footwear Industries Limited, said China is phasing out industries hazardous to the environment such as the initial processing of rawhides. "So, they import semi-finished leather from Bangladesh." However, he said, the price of semi-finished leather is low in Bangladesh, making the country a lucrative sourcing destination for Chinese importers. Although the exports of semi-finished leather are gaining pace and generating foreign currencies for the country, Bangladesh is, in reality, losing out since it could have earned more had it been able to export finished leather and finished goods produced from the local leather directly. For that to happen, local processors will have to secure certification from the Leather Working Group (LWG), a global multi-stakeholder community committed to building a sustainable future with responsible leather. A top official of a leather product exporter says the Bangladeshi firms that process world-class finished leather don't sell them in the local market since they don't receive cash incentives from the government. The government provides a 12 percent cash incentive on the shipment receipts of semi-finished leather. Of the semi-finished leather produced in Bangladesh, 70 percent is exported, mainly to China. The official says there is a scope to add value to the products sold abroad and then export them directly. Direct exports can earn as high as $5 billion for Bangladesh, he said. A senior official of the Leather Goods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) said the global economy has begun recovering, which will raise the demand for luxury products like leather items. "As a result, the orders for leather from Bangladesh will grow in the coming months and we will receive better prices as well." Finished leather exports fetch less than one-third of footwear: one square foot of leather fetches only $0.60, according to the LFMEAB . Bangladesh would have received at least $1.5 per square foot if the central effluent treatment plant in the tannery estate in Savar could treat all of the toxic chemicals released, said MA Awal, vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters' Association. Bangladesh produces 400 million square feet of leather annually, according to industry people. There are 165 footwear and leather factories in the country.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/energy/3-more-solar-power-plants-await-government-nod-825486 UNB 08 April, 2024, 12:30 pm Last modified: 08 April, 2024, 09:29 pm 3 more solar power plants await government nod According to official sources, the solar power plants are 100 MW power plant at Banshkhali in Chattogram, 300 MW at Islampur in Jamalpur and 100 MW at Sadar Upazila in Rajbari district. Three more private-sector solar power plants — a 100 MW power plant at Banshkhali in Chattogram, 300 MW at Islampur in Jamalpur and 100 MW at Sadar upazila in Rajbari — are in the process of getting approval from the government, according to official sources. A consortium of Huiheng Wind Power Limited of Hong Kong and Jupiter Energy Ltd of Bangladesh will develop the 100 MW Banshkhali plant, the SAL-GTECH consortium will set up the 300 MW Islampur plant while a consortium of Sungrow Renewable Energy Investment Pte Ltd and Theia Power (Singapore) Ltd will set up the 100 MW Rajbari power plant. Official sources said the Power Division has already moved three separate proposals to the Cabinet Division to place the offer of the three consortiums to the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) for final approval. "If the CCGP approves the proposals, the Power Division will ask the Bangladesh Power Development Board to sign the power purchase agreements with them," a top official of the Power Division told UNB. He, however, did not disclose the details about tariff rates of the solar power from these plants but said the Power Development Board will purchase electricity from the plants under long-term contracts with a tariff rate of about $0.10. In recent months, the government has been emphasising increasing the share of renewable energy, especially solar power, as part of its plan to raise its share to 40% by 2041 from the existing below 3%. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has recently said that despite various challenges Bangladesh would be able to generate 40% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2041. He reiterated the country's target at the ministerial-level multi-stakeholder roundtable "Implementation of COP28 Decisions in the Energy Sector Opportunities, Constraints, and Next Steps: The Way Head" in the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2024 on 20 March. Currently, as per statistics of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority, so far about 989.61 MW of solar power plants have been set up across the country of which 371.48 MW is off-grid and the remaining 618.13 is on-grid. The country's on-grid total power generation capacity is more than 25,000 MW and off-grid power generation capacity is another 5000 MW. The Power Division's official documents show that in the last three years, the government approved proposals for setting up about 13 solar and wind power plants, having a total capacity of 609 MW by 2025. "Letter of intent (LOI) and notification of award (LOI) were issued to the private sponsors of these renewable energy projects," said a top official referring to the documents. He said of these projects, two are wind power projects having (30+70) 100 MW and the remaining 11 are solar power projects.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/padma-bridge-sees-45000-vehicles-24-hours-toll-collection-nears-tk5-crore-826451 TBS Report 10 April, 2024, 10:20 am Last modified: 10 April, 2024, 10:28 am Padma Bridge sees 45,000 vehicles in 24 hours, toll collection nears Tk5 crore The rush of vehicles on the bridge returned to normal today morning Around 45,000 vehicles have crossed Padma Bridge in the 24 hours between 12am Tuesday [9 April] to 12am Wednesday [10 April], allowing for a toll collection of Tk4.89 crore. "30,330 of the vehicles crossed the bridge from the Mawa end, yielding tolls of Tk2.76 crore. On the other hand, 14,874 vehicles traversed from the Jajira end, generating Tk2.13 crore in tolls," said Amirul Haider Chowdhury, the deputy director of the Padma Bridge site office. "Although there was a significant rush of home-bound vehicles at the Mawa end on Tuesday (10 April) morning, the situation has returned to normal today. Currently, toll booths await the arrival of vehicles," he said. Tolls are reportedly collected from 14 booths at both ends of the Padma Bridge. "Due to the heavy motorcycle traffic, the number of booths dedicated to motorcycles at the Mawa end has been increased to two. There are a total of seven booths collecting tolls at the Mawa end of the bridge," Amirul Haider added.

যুক্ত হলো দ্বিতীয় এয়ারবাস ৩৩০, আরো সমৃদ্ধ ইউএস-বাংলার বহর ঢাকার হযরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দরে ইউএস-বাংলার বিমান বহরে যুক্ত হয়েছে দ্বিতীয় বৃহদাকার এয়ারবাস ৩৩০-৩০০। এয়ারবাসটি চীনের গুয়াংজু থেকে শনিবার (৬ এপ্রিল) ভোর ৫টা ৩০ মিনিটে হযরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দরে অবতরণ করে। নতুন যুক্ত হওয়া এয়ারবাসের আসনসংখ্যা ৪৩৬। আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে নতুন সংযোজিত এয়ারক্রাফটকে গ্রহণ করেন ইউএস-বাংলা এয়ারলাইন্সের ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তাবৃন্দ। https://www.dhakapost.com/aviation/270974

US BANGLA'S FIRST A330 CONDUCTS DEMO FLIGHT | The first US-Bangla Airlines A330-300 (S2-ALA) is seen here taxiing to runway 14 at Dhaka, her first take-off from the home base to the port city of Chattogram, with CAAB officials onboard, who will monitor the aircraft, crew and ground staff on their handling of the bird, a requirement before granting the airline permission to use the A330 to operate passenger flights. From Bangladesh Aviation HUB FB

US BANGLA'S SECOND A330 AT DHAKA | The second US-Bangla Airlines A330-300 (S2-ALB) is seen here being towed to the third terminal after arriving at Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport earlier in the morning today. She was ferried from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and landed at 05:32AM local time. The airline plans to utilize the A330s on Dhaka-Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, London and Rome but for now it will fly between Dubai, Doha, Muscat and Kualalumpur. from Bangladesh Aviation Hub FB

Fly Dhaka Airlines (Bengali: ফ্লাই ঢাকা এয়ারলাইন্স) or simply Fly Dhaka, is a planned private airline in Bangladesh. It is headquartered in Dhaka.The airline is set to be commencing operations from November 2024. The airlines is currently waiting to acquire air operator's certificate (AOC) and is expected to commence from November 2024 Fly Dhaka will at first operate with ATR 72-600 aircraft domestically. Then, the airline plans to expand their fleet lineup by acquiring Airbus and Boeing aircrafts for its global expansion

Air Astra is a privately owned Bangladeshi passenger airline headquartered in Dhaka and based at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport under Astra Airways Limited. The airline was expected to commence its operation in January 2022. However, the dates were pushed forward further into 2022 and after acquiring their Air operator's certificate the airline was cleared to commence its operations. Air Astra, the first private airline to be introduced in Bangladesh since 2013, started its commercial operation on 24 November 2022, with Dhaka as its hub. The airline inaugurated its operation with three weekly flights on Dhaka–Cox's Bazar–Dhaka route and two weekly flight on Dhaka-Chittagong–Dhaka route. On 23 February 2023, the new airline launched Dhaka - Sylhet flight for first time.[10][11] Air Astra expected to launch flights on all domestic routes in phases.

https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/external-debt-surges-past-100b-mark-813091 Zainal Abadin 22 March, 2024, 10:40 am Last modified: 22 March, 2024, 02:25 pm External debt surges past $100b mark Economist Zahid Hussain, however, thinks the country’s foreign debt is not too high in proportion to GDP size Bangladesh's external debt has surpassed the $100-billion mark for the first time, primarily driven by government borrowing to fund various development initiatives, including large-scale projects. According to recent data released by the Bangladesh Bank, as of December last year, the country's foreign debt stood at $100.64 billion, marking an increase from $96.55 billion recorded in the previous quarter. Nearly 80% of this external debt was taken by the government and the remaining 20% was sourced by the private sector, as per Bangladesh Bank statistics. The nation's overall foreign debt experienced a notable increase over the past year, despite a decrease in private-sector borrowing. This surge is primarily attributed to the government's significant borrowing from foreign sources, which rose by $7.48 billion in 2023. With borrowing on the rise, the pressure on repayments is also intensifying. In fiscal year 2022-23, the government repaid $2.79 billion in principal and interest to foreign lenders. The figure is projected to exceed $3.65 billion by the end of the current fiscal year. Looking ahead, the repayment burden is estimated to soar to $4.21 billion in the next fiscal year, according to assessments provided by the finance ministry. Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of the World Bank's Dhaka office, however, told TBS, "Our $100 billion foreign debt is not too high in proportion to the size of our GDP. Many countries with similar GDPs have higher external debts than ours." However, the source of the loans and the terms on which these were taken are a cause for concern, he said. "If we fail to meet the conditions, we may face difficulties in the future." He also said, "We must ensure that the loans are used properly and that we generate income from them. Otherwise, we will not be able to repay the loans on time. If we fail to implement projects on time and complete their work within the initial budget, we may face difficulties. "Therefore, we need to increase our dollar income alongside our foreign debt. Otherwise, it will be distressing in the future." Bangladesh's external debt has increased by over 200% over the last decade from $29.3 billion in June 2013 to $100 billion by December 2023.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/energy/countrys-first-commercial-wind-power-plant-starts-production-810678 Jobaer Chowdhury 18 March, 2024, 09:40 am Last modified: 18 March, 2024, 04:28 pm Country's first commercial wind power plant starts production Bangladesh has achieved a new milestone in its renewable energy ambition, with the country's first commercial wind power plant going into full production this month. The wind power plant in Cox's Bazar, boasting a capacity of 60 megawatts, started full-scale operation on 8 March and has been running smoothly ever since, according to Nirod Chandra Mondal, joint secretary (renewable energy) at the Power Division. "The electricity generated by the new power plant is being directly supplied to the national grid. Experiments were conducted to ensure a smooth connection before the commercial launch," he told The Business Standard. Nirod also said the installation of 20 out of 22 turbines of the plant has already been completed and the remaining work is expected to be completed this month. "The construction of the wind power plant project has been completed, and it is now in commercial production. The capacity test was held on 7 March, and 60MW of electricity is connected to the national grid," Project Director Engineer Mukit Alam Khan, also a representative of the Chinese company implementing the project, told The Business Standard. He also said they have an agreement with the government to supply 60 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the power plant. "Currently, 20 turbines, each with a capacity of 3 MW, are operational, providing a total of 60 MW of electricity. The installation of the remaining two turbines is underway." he said. When asked about the difference between day and night, he said the performance is slightly better at night than during the day. The firm overseeing the project has an 18-year contract with the government over the sale of electricity. Initiated in March 2022 with a total cost of $116.51 million, the project has been spearheaded by US-DK Green Energy BD Ltd, a private entity, with financial backing from the Chinese company SPIC Wuling Power Corporation. Situated near the seacoast, the project reached a trial milestone on 26 May last year, injecting 30MW of electricity into the national grid. The plant, a large-scale centralised wind power plant, facilitated the South Asian country's energy transition and green development. Bangladesh joined the global wind power club with the inauguration of its Cox's Bazar wind power project. Upon its full operation, the project will provide Bangladesh with about 145 million kWh of clean electricity per year, reduce coal consumption by 44,600 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 109,200 tons, as well as meet the electricity demand of 100,000 households, according to project officials. Yin Bobo, director of Cox's Bazar Wind Power Plant, told the Chinese news outlet Xinhua that the project has customised the "China Plan" for Bangladesh, devising site-specific solutions for the coastal areas characterised by frequent tropical cyclone disasters, poor alluvial plain geological foundations, and low average wind speed. Notably, the initiative has created over 1,500 jobs during construction, with ongoing training for the eight operations and maintenance staff. Additionally, 25 officials are deployed to operate the plant. Yin emphasised that Wuling Power Corporation will continue to focus on the development of green energy and assist Bangladesh in its low-carbon energy transformation, aiming to realise the dream of "Golden Bangladesh" at an early date. Besides its immediate impact on electricity generation, the wind power project in Cox's Bazar marks a significant stride in Bangladesh's commitment to environmental sustainability. The project is poised to mitigate the effects of climate change, enhance air quality, and reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. Wind energy in Bangladesh This isn't the country's first wind power project. The Bangladesh Power Development Board constructed a 0.9MW wind-based power plant near the dam along the River Muhuri in Feni in 2005. Three years later, a 1MW wind power plant was set up in Kutubdia, Cox's Bazar. Both plants are now out of operation due to a lack of supervision and interest from the board. Rush for generating 10% from renewables by 2025 Currently, three more wind projects with a cumulative power generation capacity of 102MW are underway in Sirajganj, Bagerhat, and Chuadanga. Besides, contractor selection for a 50MW wind power project in Chandpur and a 30MW plant in Feni is in the pipeline. In September 2022, the Bangladesh Power Development Board signed a contract with Mongla Green Power Limited to build a 55MW wind power plant in Mongla, Bagerhat. Denmark's significant $1.3 billion investment in Bangladesh's 500MW offshore wind project has received government approval, signalling a major step towards sustainable energy. The government is moving for the new plants given its determination to achieve its target of generating 10% of electricity from renewables, including solar, hydropower, and wind, by 2025. Currently, the country has the capacity to generate 2% of its electricity from renewable sources, according to the Bangladesh Power Development Board. At least 12% of electricity is needed from renewable sources to attain the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. Earlier, the government had set targets of producing at least 5% of the total electricity from renewable sources by 2015 and 10% by 2020, but none of them could be achieved yet, according to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources. "Bangladesh can generate 20,000MW of green electricity within 2041 by expanding solar power generation facilities," says the "National Solar Energy Roadmap 2021-41" prepared by the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority. Even solar power capacity can be taken to 30,000MW with proper utilisation of riverside and abandoned lands, it is estimated.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/energy/blue-hydrogen-worse-fossil-fuels-study-812574 Joynal Abedin Shishir 21 March, 2024, 12:25 pm Last modified: 21 March, 2024, 06:09 pm Blue hydrogen worse than fossil fuels: Study Bangladesh mulls taking an ambitious plan to install more than 22,000 megawatts of hydrogen-based electricity by 2050 The government's plan to install more than 22,000 megawatts of hydrogen-based electricity by 2050 appears to go against climate goals, as new research finds blue hydrogen worse than traditional fossil fuels in terms of harmful emissions. The Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP-2023), supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, proposes to install 137,800MW by 2050 in Bangladesh, of which 22,048MW would be from hydrogen-based electricity. There are three types of hydrogen – grey, blue, and green. Grey hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. Green is produced through renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, which don't release greenhouse gases when generating electricity. Blue hydrogen, often hailed as a climate-friendly option, is produced from fossil fuels with partial carbon capture and storage. However, research findings suggest that blue hydrogen may be worse for the environment than traditional fossil fuels. Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel The IEPMP-2023 target has not specified whether power will be generated by using green or blue hydrogen. However, experts fear that a major part of this hydrogen will be blue because it is more cost-effective compared to green hydrogen. In blue hydrogen production, methane gas will be broken down into gas, and the emitted carbon dioxide will be separated from the atmosphere through carbon capture and storage technology. It is claimed that the environment can be kept in good condition. However, new research from EDF suggests otherwise. Green hydrogen, on the other hand, uses renewable electricity to break down water (H₂O) to produce hydrogen, according to researchers. It will require investment in technology, but the raw material is readily available. In contrast, blue hydrogen will depend on local or imported gas for its production. Whether blue hydrogen or green, it will require new technologies. These technologies may need to be imported from Japan or other countries. Japan, in particular, has numerous blue hydrogen power plants. Importing these technologies will incur significant costs. After all of these investments, if the environment does not benefit as expected, then ultimately, blue hydrogen could become a burden for Bangladesh in every aspect, including the economy, experts warn. The study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) last month says that the climate impacts of blue hydrogen could be up to 50% worse than traditional fossil fuels. US-based non-profit environmental advocacy organisation EDF's research was published last 21 February. The EDF study exposes its shortcomings, revealing that high levels of hydrogen and methane emissions along its supply chain can worsen near-term warming by up to 50% compared to fossil fuels. Proponents of blue hydrogen production and use are using carbon capture and storage technology as their shield, the study said. It is said that up to 98% of carbon dioxide can be prevented from entering the atmosphere through this technology. However, such technology has not been brought to the market so far, which can prevent the release of carbon dioxide at this rate on a regular basis. Instead of this 98%, if the carbon capture and storage technology is slightly less, such as 60%, that can trap carbon dioxide; it is claimed that the environmental benefits due to blue hydrogen may be 15–50% less in the short term and 20-60% less in the long term. Tianyi Sun, lead author of the EDF report, said, "It's important to get the emissions accounting right, both to accurately assess the climate impacts of hydrogen systems and to identify opportunities to reduce them." "When we consider all climate warming emissions and their impacts over the near and long term, our analysis shows that hydrogen deployment can have far greater impacts than expected," she added. Governments around the world are currently in the midst of deciding how to define "clean" hydrogen, with experts arguing the only clean form of hydrogen is green hydrogen made from renewables. A global ISO methodology to calculate hydrogen emissions, announced at COP28 in December, drew concern over its risk of under-reporting blue hydrogen emissions. However, concerns have been raised by a number of local and international experts regarding the inclusion of blue hydrogen in this plan. M Zakir Hossain Khan, a climate and renewable energy finance expert, told The Business Standard, "Shifting focus towards these unproven sources, prioritising clean energy over proven renewable energy like blue hydrogen energy, will create an unprecedented burden for Bangladesh in terms of safety, security, affordability, access to resources, and energy scarcity." "The government should avoid the blue hydrogen energy plan. Green hydrogen can be an ideal solution that offers a truly zero-emission alternative," he emphasised. Hasan Mehedi, member secretary of the Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt, told TBS, "Hydrogen technology is known as a false solution for emission reduction because the technology is not proven enough. Even developed countries like the US, Canada, and the UK rejected the proposal of adopting it from Japan during the G7 Summit last year." "Considering the cost of production, a developing country like Bangladesh should not accept such unproven technology," he added.

https://www.thedailystar.net/nrb/migration/remittance/news/129b-remittances-received-last-6-months-3554721 Wed Feb 28, 2024 06:46 PM Last update on: Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:42 PM $12.9b in remittances received in last 6 months Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali today told the parliament from July to January of the current financial year (2023-24), the country received some $12.9 billion ($12, 900.63 million) in remittances. The minister said this while responding to a tabled question from Independent MP Muhammad Saiful Islam. Of the amount, $2,425.58 million came from the United Arab Emirates, $ 1,610.38 million from the United Kingdom, $1601.22 million from Saudi Arabia, $1332.63 million from the United States, and $900.26 million from Italy. Replying to ruling Awami League MP Mamunur Rashid Kiran, the minister said that in the first six months of the current fiscal year, some Tk 6.81 lakh crore were transacted through mobile financial services. In response to the question of Independent lawmaker ABM Anisuzzaman, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said that 192 local and foreign companies have started business activities in 18 Hi-Tech parks operated by the government. "Till now about Tk2150 crore has been invested from the private sector," Palak added.

https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/city/8pb53u24vq Elevated Expressway: FDEE seeks to raise toll Naznin Akhter Dhaka Updated: 26 Feb 2024, 11: 15 The number of vehicles using the Dhaka Elevated Expressway is increasing gradually and the amount of toll collection is also going up. On an average, over 42,000 vehicles travelled through the expressway and Tk 3 million was collected as toll every day between 1 and 21 February, said the expressway’s executing organisation Bangladesh Bridge Authority and the investment organisation First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Limited. The expressway had an average daily movement of around 30,000 vehicles during the inaugural month in September while the average toll collection per day was Tk 2.44 million, said an information of the two organisations. The toll for private cars, taxis, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), microbuses (less than 16 seats) and light trucks (less than 3 tonnes) on the expressway is Tk 80. And, the toll for all types of buses (16 or more seats) is Tk 160 while the toll for movement of a medium truck (up to 6 wheelers) is Tk 320. The toll for trucks with more than 6 wheels is Tk 400. Despite the increase in traffic and toll collection on the elevated expressway, investment company FDEE thinks that it is still not at a satisfactory level. According to the company, movement of an average of 50,000 vehicles per day will generate the desired revenue. In this context, the FDEE wants to send a proposal to the government to increase the toll. Meanwhile, the bridge authority has sent a letter to the FDEE to install an electronic toll collection (ETC) system by April this year to reduce the long queue of vehicles at the toll booths of the expressway during peak hours. This major public-private partnership (PPP) project is named ‘Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project’. According to project information, the investors under FDEE Company Limited are Thailand-based Italian Thai Development Public Company Limited (51 per cent share), China-based China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group (34 per cent share) and Sinohydro Corporation Limited (15 per cent share). Bangladesh Bridge Authority is the executing organisation. Income in 6 months According to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority and FDEE Company Limited, a total of 836,347 vehicles used the expressway in the first month of inauguration in September last year and the collected toll amount was Tk 68.4 million. In October, the number of vehicles and toll amount increased to over 925,000 and over Tk 75 million. In November both decreased due to strikes and blockades at a stretch. In December last year, the number of vehicles and toll amount spiked to over 1.07 million and over Tk 87.5 million. In January this year, the numbers were over 1.1 million (nearly 35,500 vehicles per day) and over Tk 90 million. The length of the main expressway is 19.73 km and the estimated construction cost is Tk 89.4 billion. The route of this expressway covers Kawla to the south of H Speaking about this, Bangladesh Bridge Authority Chief Engineer Quazi Md Ferdaus told Prothom Alo on 12 February that there has been no discussion yet on how many years the investment company would take to hand over the expressway to the government in case of partial opening. The agreement says that as compensation, the investor company should be given an opportunity to collect tolls for some more time than the agreement delineates if the average daily traffic is less than 13,500 vehicles for 15 consecutive days, he added. However, Quazi Md Ferdaus pointed out no such situation has appeared yet and both the traffic and the toll collection are increasing. Meanwhile, Managing Director of the First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Limited, Bhaskon Khannabha, does not think Tk 80 is sufficient as the lowest amount of toll. Speaking to Prothom Alo at his office on 17 February, he said, “We are happy as the people are happy using the elevated expressway. But the toll collection in this big project with such a huge investment will have to be more. Time is valuable. Those who use the expressway can understand it. They can afford to pay more tolls.” Bhaskon Khannabha also said that initially the minimum toll was fixed at Tk 150 but they changed the minimum toll to Tk 80 as the Bangladesh government objected to the initial amount. They thought it was necessary to increase the toll and informed the bridge authority about this. The bridge authority, however, has not commented on this yet. They want to send a proposal to the government in this regard. But no written proposal has been sent yet. * The report has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza azrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari, and Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram highway. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the section from Kawla to Tejgaon (11.5 km) on 2 September in 2023. That section of the expressway was opened to traffic movement on the following day (3 September). According to the agreement, the investment firm will design and finance the construction, and operate and maintain the elevated expressway once it is open to traffic. Then they will handover the expressway to the Bangladesh government after 25 years. Before that they will realise the invested money and its interest through the toll collection. According to the agreement with the investors, a maximum of about 80,000 vehicles could use the expressway every day. If over 80,000 vehicles operate on the expressway every day, then Bangladesh will get 25 per cent of the additional toll. According to sources, the investment company was forced to open part of the expressway before the 12th parliamentary elections. In this situation, the desired income of the investment company would be generated if at least 50,000 vehicles run a day.

https://www.tbsnews.net/nbr/metro-travel-set-get-pricier-nbr-plans-vat-reimposition-791918 Jasim Uddin 13 February, 2024, 09:25 am Last modified: 13 February, 2024, 01:00 pm Metro travel set to get pricier as NBR plans VAT reimposition NBR expects Tk100 crore in revenue from metro service in the next fiscal year The journey by Dhaka Metro Rail is likely to become costlier from July as the National Board of Revenue plans to reimpose value-added tax (VAT) on the tickets from the fiscal 2024-25, according to NBR officials. An NBR official, wishing to remain anonymous, told The Business Standard that as per government directive, the NBR provided a VAT exemption on metro rail ticket prices last year, considering that the service was not fully operational. "Now, the NBR intends to withdraw that waiver with the goal of realising more revenue from this sector," he said, adding that they will convene a meeting with Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) to inform them of the decision. He also mentioned that it will help the revenue board realise about Tk100 crore annually from this service. The official said, as per the law, a 15% VAT is applicable to both AC and non-AC railway services. Section 26 of the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 does not provide exemptions for passenger transport – both temperature-controlled (AC) and first-class non-AC railway services. As metro rail is fully temperature-controlled, a 15% VAT is applicable to this service, added the official. The NBR official also mentioned that after a 15% VAT imposition, the minimum distance ticket price will be Tk23, up from Tk20 currently, while the maximum distance ticket price will be Tk115, up from Tk100. DMTCL Deputy Project Director (Public Relations) Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan told TBS that currently, an average of 2.7 lakh passengers travel on the metro rail daily. He also mentioned that around three lakh cards have been issued by DMTCL so far, but they do not have updated information on how many passengers are using the rapid pass. According to sources, the maximum number of passengers recorded in a single day so far was 2.75 lakh. Based on estimates, if an average of 2.7 lakh passengers spend Tk50 each, the total amount stands at Tk1.35 crore. With an additional 15% VAT imposed, NBR will be able to collect an extra Tk20.25 lakh in revenue daily. Consequently, additional revenue of around Tk74 crore will be added to the revenue account annually. Initially, DMTCL operated the MRT-6 from Uttara North Station to Agargaon, but currently, it is running from Uttara North Station to Motijheel Station. DMTCL aims to extend operations up to Kamalapur Station by 2025. Metro to run more frequently: Quader Steps are underway to increase the movement frequency of metro rail in view of growing commuters' dependence on its service, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Monday. Talking to reporters at his office, he said the coach numbers could not be increased due to technical reasons, but steps were taken to run a train every eight minutes, while the current frequency is 10 minutes. There is no metro rail with more than five coaches anywhere in the world, but the metro rail in Bangladesh has already been running with six compartments, he said.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/master-plan-drawn-massive-bridge-tunnel-expressway-connectivity-790218 Saifuddin Saif 10 February, 2024, 10:20 am Last modified: 10 February, 2024, 02:46 pm Master plan drawn up for massive bridge, tunnel, expressway connectivity Master plan drawn up for massive bridge, tunnel, expressway connectivity The Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA) aims to undertake 77 projects over the next 30 years, including the construction of 47 bridges, three tunnels, and 27 expressways spread across the country, as outlined in its first master plan. Sources within the BBA and Bridges Division say among the projects, six bridges have been proposed to be built over the Padma River, seven bridges over the Meghna River and three bridges over the Jamuna River. While some experts see the initiative positively, recognising its potential to enhance connectivity across the country, others express scepticism regarding its viability given the current economic situation. Among the projects outlined in the master plan, 13 are prioritised for implementation by 2035, with a specific emphasis on enhancing communication links between the eastern and western regions of the country. The priority projects include two bridges over the Padma River along the Paturia-Goalanda and Pabna-Rajbari roads, three bridges over the Meghna River Shariatpur-Chandpur, Gazaria-Munshiganj and Bhola-Lakshmipur roads, and a tunnel beneath the Jamuna River. The areas of Balashi Ghat in Gaibandha and Bahadurabad in Jamalpur have been chosen for the construction of the Jamuna River tunnel. Furthermore, the BBA plans to construct an elevated expressway, an inner elevated circular road, and a subway within the capital city. These initiatives aim to reduce traffic congestion and streamline vehicle movements from various regions of the country. According to BBA sources, TYPSA Consulting Engineers & Architects, a Spanish company, is serving as a consultant for the master plan's implementation. While the company has already identified 77 projects, the final report is expected to be submitted by next June. Md Monjur Hossain, secretary of the Bridges Division, said a comprehensive list has been compiled detailing the anticipated need for bridges and related infrastructure in Bangladesh over the next 30 years. He further said all projects will be executed in phases, with feasibility studies already in progress for certain projects and pre-feasibility studies underway for others. What experts say Dr Mustafa K Mujeri, former Director General of BIDS, said, "It is a very ambitious plan. Considering the current economic situation, it might be better not to implement such a plan." "If projects of this magnitude are implemented, they will exert significant pressure on the economy. In this scenario, new projects should be undertaken only after the completion of all the mega projects currently under implementation," he said. Ferdaus Ara Begum, chief executive officer of the Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD), said, "It is commendable that the BBA is taking proactive steps. Upon reviewing the logistics costs of 13 countries, it was evident that our country's logistics costs are notably high. Despite having significant infrastructure such as the Padma Bridge, further investment in infrastructure facilities would be beneficial for us." However, she cautioned that while many projects may initially seem economically viable or attractive to the private sector, a thorough cost-benefit analysis might reveal alternative approaches. Md Mamun-Al-Rashid, former secretary of the Planning Commission, emphasised the importance of assessing the potential returns of every infrastructure project. "Many projects in our country are being implemented at costs 4-5 times higher than market prices. This issue should be prioritised in the master plan. If projects can be executed with foreign financing at market prices, it will decrease pressure on debt repayment," he said. He said, "Due to inefficiency and a lack of proper surveys , projects cannot be implemented on time in our country. This results in not realising the benefits of the project at the scheduled time and ballooning costs. This issue should be prioritised in the implementation of the master plan." Transport experts say relying on a master plan for river connectivity is insufficient. They advocate for the development of comprehensive master plans that incorporate multi-dimensional communication systems. Md Shamsul Hoque, transport expert and professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), told TBS, "The experience of the Padma Bridge suggests that the pressure on Dhaka has intensified. Job creation through land utilisation should be integrated into the master plan. Simply building bridges will further worsen population pressures in big cities." He cautioned against building tunnels, noting that their construction and operating costs are typically 2-3 times higher than those of bridges. While applauding the proposal to construct 27 expressways in the master plan, he said, "It is a wise decision. Given our limited land and large population, adopting an elevated expressway strategy is imperative. This approach allows for multiple uses of the same land and eliminates the need for land acquisition." Projects prioritised to be implemented by 2035 The BBA intends to construct a 6-km bridge over the Padma River along the Paturia-Goalanda road. Initially estimated at Tk16,351 crore in a pre-feasibility study conducted in 2004, the Bridges Division now estimates the construction cost to be Tk31,200 crore. BBA officials say the second Padma bridge will establish a direct connection between Paturia and Goalanda, facilitating direct access from Dhaka to the western and southwestern districts. The bridge will offer direct connectivity to key land ports such as Benapole and Darshana, as well as the seaport of Mongla. The master plan prioritises a proposal for an additional bridge over the Padma River, to be constructed along the Pabna-Rajbari road. The BBA has initiated a pre-feasibility study for this bridge's construction with the draft report estimating its cost at Tk12,502 crore. The bridge is expected to span 3.86 kilometres in length. Three bridges over the Meghna River The Bridges Authority has outlined plans to construct three bridges over the Meghna River by 2035 as part of the master plan. One of these bridges is designated for the Shariatpur-Chandpur road aiming to enhance connectivity between the southeastern and southwestern regions of the country. With a length of 8 km, the bridge project will also entail the construction of around 8.6 km of associated roads. Once completed, vehicles travelling between Khulna, Barisal, Chattogram, and Sylhet will no longer need to pass through Dhaka reducing traffic congestion in the capital, according to BBA officials. The feasibility study for this bridge is nearing completion with the estimated cost outlined in the draft final report standing at Tk15,957.21 crore. Another bridge, with a length of 2.42 km, is slated for construction over the Meghna River along the Gazaria-Munshiganj road. The estimated cost of the project is Tk15,354.61 crore. The Bridges Authority has initiated a pre-feasibility study for the construction of another bridge over the same river at the Bhola-Lakshmipur ferry ghat. BBA officials say the Bhola-Laxmipur (Maju Chowdhury's Hat) ferry ghat serves as a vital inter-district transport route for residents of 21 districts, encompassing 12 districts from Khulna and Barisal divisions, as well as nine from Chattogram division. Presently, the pre-feasibility study for the bridge construction is ongoing with the survey expected to conclude by June 2024. Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway According to BBA sources, the expressway project will link Hemayetpur on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, the Dhaka-Mawa highway, and Langalbandh on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. Officials say if the expressway project is implemented, vehicles from eastern, southwestern, and northwestern districts will have the option to traverse within their respective districts via the expressway, bypassing the need to enter Dhaka city. The feasibility study for this project was conducted in 2017, indicating a proposed length of 39.23 km for the expressway with an estimated cost of Tk16,388.50 crore. A bridge over Tentulia and Kalabadar rivers Another project slated for implementation by 2035 is the construction of a bridge over the Tentulia and Kalabadar rivers on the Barisal-Bhola road. BBA sources indicate that a feasibility study was undertaken in 2020 for the proposed bridge with the study currently undergoing review. Preliminary findings from the draft feasibility study suggest that the construction of the 10.86-km-long bridge will require an estimated investment of Tk17,466.32 crore. Inner elevated circular road in Dhaka The Bridges Division has formulated plans to complete the construction of the Dhaka Inner Elevated Circular Road by 2035. Currently, a feasibility study for the project is in progress. The Bridges Division anticipates that the implementation of the project will mitigate traffic congestion in Dhaka and Narayanganj. Construction of a subway in Dhaka Officials say a feasibility study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 to assess the construction of a subway spanning around 238 km across a total of 11 routes, aimed at alleviating traffic congestion throughout Dhaka city. The consultancy firm conducting the feasibility study proposes that the four routes in Phase-1 should be completed by 2030. The estimated cost for the construction of these 4 Phase-1 routes is Tk3,37,299 crore. Tunnel or bridge on Cox's Bazar-Maheshkhali channel The master plan includes a proposal for the construction of either a tunnel or a bridge across the Cox's Bazar-Maheshkhali channel. The Bridges Division indicates that the pre-feasibility study for this project is currently underway. According to the draft final report of the survey, the estimated cost for the project is Tk8,093.21 crore. 22 km elevated expressway in haor in Sunamganj and Netrokona The Bridges Authority has initiated a pre-feasibility study for the construction of a 22-km elevated expressway in Sunamganj and Netrakona, aimed at enhancing road connectivity with the northern region of the country from Sylhet through Sunamganj-Mymensingh. The feasibility study is expected to conclude by June 2024. Upon implementation, this project with an estimated cost of Tk14,858 crore is anticipated to reduce the distance from Sylhet to Rangpur by around 100 km. Construction of the 2nd Muktarpur Bridge Officials from the Bridges Division said proposals have been made to construct the 2nd Muktarpur Bridge over the Dhaleshwari River along the Dhaka-Munshiganj road. The first Muktarpur Bridge on the same river was opened for traffic in January 2008.

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/poland-saves-the-day-bangladeshs-garment-shipment-russia-3538796 Refayet Ullah Mirdha Thu Feb 8, 2024 07:25 AM Last update on: Thu Feb 8, 2024 05:13 PM Poland saves the day for Bangladesh's garment shipment to Russia Bangladesh shipped apparel goods worth $650 million to Russia in the financial year of 2020-21 and was tipped soon to be crossing the $1-billion mark in the promising market. The momentum seemed to have run out of steam after the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022, as suppliers were finding it difficult to deliver goods to the country since it has been sanctioned by the western powers. The disruption came after the West banned major banks in Russia from using the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), which allows financial institutions to send and receive electronic payments internationally. The interruption, however, did not prolong as exporters soon found out alternative routes instead of direct shipping to Russia. Even in many cases, they receive payments in the Chinese yuan. Among the alternative third-party countries, Poland has emerged as a key destination to keep supplying apparel items to Russia. Exporters say they have picked Poland to send goods to Russia and receive payments in the US dollar. Thus, Poland, which imported apparel products worth only a few million dollars from Bangladesh a few years ago, has emerged as one of the key export destinations for the country, albeit on paper. Suppliers say major Polish importers are buying goods in large quantities from Bangladesh to re-export to Russia. Whatever the reason is, higher garment exports to Poland have appeared as a boon for Bangladesh at a time when the country's largest export-earning sector is facing a slowdown due to an elevated level of inflation in the West. Garment exports to Poland grew 19.14 percent year-on-year to $884.45 million in the July-December of the current fiscal year of 2023-24, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). On the back of a zero-duty benefit under the European Union's Everything but Arms (EBA) scheme, the garment shipment to Poland went past the $1-billion mark for the first time in 2020-21 to bring home $1.38 billion in the year finally. A new record was set in the following year when shipment hit $2 billion. Although the garment export to Poland declined 13.66 percent to $1.73 billion in 2022-23, it was largely because of higher inflationary pressure. On the other hand, garment exports to Russia declined 26.96 percent to $426.39 million in FY23 owing to the war-related restrictions. It, however, rose 29.01 percent to $233.04 million in July-December of FY24. Poland and Russia import a lot of knitwear and sweater items from Bangladesh because of their year-round cold weather. The prices of the exported goods are also higher than other garment items. Rajiv Chowdhury, managing director of Young 4 Ever Textiles Ltd, said Poland, which has a population of 3.75 crore, itself is a big market for Bangladesh and some Polish retailers and brands source a lot of sweaters from the country. Chowdhury used to send garment items to Russia a lot before the conflict began. Currently, he ships a large volume of goods to Poland. "Garment items are sent to Russian markets from Poland by roads as the countries are geographically close," said Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association. He said the shipment of garments to Poland declined last year because of the global problem. "It is now going up again." LPP, a large Polish buyer, sources sweater items from Bangladesh, according to Faruque Hassan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. "A lot of locally made garment items are being shipped to Russia through Poland."

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangla/বাংলাদেশ/news-details-196114 টিবিএস রিপোর্ট 05 February, 2024, 12:35 pm Last modified: 05 February, 2024, 02:01 pm সবচেয়ে বেশি রেমিট্যান্স আসে চট্টগ্রাম বিভাগে, কম রংপুরে ২০২২ সালে দেশের মোট ১৫.৩ শতাংশ খানা বা পরিবার প্রবাসী আয় গ্রহণ করেছে। বাংলাদেশ পরিসংখ্যান ব্যুরোর (বিবিএস) তথ্য অনুযায়ী, প্রবাসী বাংলাদেশিদের পাঠানো অর্থ, অর্থাৎ প্রবাসী আয় বা রেমিট্যান্স সবচেয়ে বেশি আসে চট্টগ্রাম বিভাগে। জাতীয় পর্যায়ে প্রবাস আসী গ্রহণকারী খানা বা পরিবাগুলোর অধিকাংশই (৩৫.২ শতাংশ) চট্টগ্রাম বিভাগে বসবাস করে। বিবিএসের বাংলাদেশ স্যাম্পল ভাইটাল স্ট্যাটিস্টিক্‌স ২০২২ অনুসারে, ২০২২ সালে দেশের মোট ১৫.৩ শতাংশ খানা বা পরিবার প্রবাসী আয় গ্রহণ করেছে। জরিপ বলছে, প্রবাসী আয় গ্রহণে চট্টগ্রাম বিভাগের পরের অবস্থানে রয়েছে ঢাকা বিভাগ (৩০.৫ শতাংশ) ও সিলেট বিভাগ (১০.১ শতাংশ)। আর রেমিট্যান্স গ্রহণকারী পরিবারের ক্ষেত্রে সবচেয়ে কম অবদান রংপুর বিভাগের, মাত্র ২.৪ শতাংশ। জরিপে দেখা গেছে, প্রবাসী আয় গ্রহণকারী পরিবারগুলো মূলত পল্লি অঞ্চলকেন্দ্রিক। পল্লি অঞ্চলের ১৬.৬ শতাংশ পরিবার রেমিট্যান্স গ্রহণ করেছে। সিটি করপোরেশন এলাকায় এ হার ৮.৭ শতাংশ এবং পৌরসভা বা অন্যান্য শহরাঞ্চলে তা ১২.৫ শতাংশ। বিবিএসের প্রতিবেদনে বলা হয়, প্রবাসী আয় প্রবাহ বাংলাদেশের অর্থনীতির অন্যতম গুরুত্বপূর্ণ সূচক হিসেবে বিবেচিত। কারণ প্রবাসী আয় বৈদেশিক লেনদেনের ভারসাম্য, বৈদেশিক মুদ্রার রিজার্ভ, জাতীয় সঞ্চয় ও টাকার হাতবদলের মাত্রা বাড়ানোর মাধ্যমে অর্থনৈতিক প্রবৃদ্ধির ওপর ইতিবাচক প্রভাব ফেলে। প্রবাসীদের পাঠানো রেমিট্যান্স বাংলাদেশের অর্থনীতিতে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা রাখছে। বিশ্বব্যাংক ও নোমাডের মাইগ্রেশন অ্যান্ড ডেভেলপমেন্ট ব্রিফ ৩৯-এর তথ্য অনুসারে, নিম্ন মধ্যম আয়ের দেশগুলোর মধ্যে রেমিট্যান্স বা প্রবাসী আয়প্রাপ্তিতে বাংলাদেশের অবস্থান সপ্তম। ২০২৩ সালে প্রবাসী বাংলাদেশিরা দেশে রেমিট্যান্স পাঠিয়েছেন ২১.৯২ বিলিয়ন ডলার। এর আগে ২০২২ সালে ১২ মাসে রেমিট্যান্স এসেছিল ২১.২৯ বিলিয়ন ডলার। এছাড়া এ বছরের জানুয়ারিতে ২.১০ বিলিয়ন ডলার রেমিট্যান্স পাঠিয়েছেন প্রবাসীরা, যা গত সাত মাসের মধ্যে সর্বোচ্চ। আর ২০২৩ সালের ডিসেম্বরে দেশে রেমিট্যান্স এসেছিল ১.৯৮ বিলিয়ন ডলার।

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/industries/ict/news/it-exports-the-slow-lane-demand-falls-3536196 Mahmudul Hasan Sun Feb 4, 2024 09:17 PM Last update on: Mon Feb 5, 2024 01:50 PM IT exports in the slow lane as demand falls Information technology exports from Bangladesh dropped 4.4 percent in the first five months of the current fiscal year as the demand for software developers and products has fallen due to the lingering global economic slowdown. According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), earnings of domestic IT firms stood at $221.15 million in July-November of 2023-24, down from $231.34 million in the identical period a year earlier. Industry people said the demand in major export destinations such as the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union has either dipped or hasn't grown much in the last one year, forcing firms to put the expansion plan related to IT teams on hold. The drop in IT exports was mainly contributed by lower earnings from software sales, which decreased 31.63 percent year-on-year to $16.19 million in the five months to November. Ferdous Mahmud Shaon, managing director of Cefalo, a software company, said the firm experienced a 15 to 20 percent drop in demand in the last six months in the EU, especially in Norway, the biggest market for the growing company. "We are witnessing a substantial low demand from the Norwegian market due to the gloomy economic situation." He identified two reasons for the business slowdown. First, startups in export destinations are cutting back their investments as they are not getting venture capital investments, thus slimming down their own IT teams as part of the cost-cutting measures. "For example, two startups that source software developers from us have reduced the number of employees from 25 to just five," Shaon said. Similarly, big companies in the EU are posting lower profits, so they are not hiring developers from countries like Bangladesh even if someone resigns, he added. Cefalo hired more than 100 people from early 2022 to mid-2023 to take its overall manpower to 250. The hiring has remained paused for the last six months. "I am not surprised by the export drop," said Fahim Mashroor, a former president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). He said many tech professionals in the developed markets have lost jobs in recent times. And, companies might have engaged them as freelancers rather than outsourcing the tasks to countries like India and Bangladesh. Another reason is the sharp appreciation of the US dollar, he said. The taka has lost its value by about 30 percent against the American greenback in the past two years amid fast depletion of the foreign currency reserves, making imports costlier and exports cheaper in Bangladesh. "As a result, many outsourcing companies in Bangladesh are delaying bringing in their export earnings because they anticipate a further spike in the dollar rate. They believe that they will gain more if they fetch their proceeds at a later time," Mashroor said. Raisul Kabir, CEO of Brain Station 23, a software exporter, said the export is in the slow lane in the EU market. "However, the demand in the Middle-Eastern countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia and in the African market is growing." According to EPB data, receipts from ITES exports, which cover data processing and web hosting, grew 2.76 percent year-on-year to $196.29 million in July-November. IT consultancy services plummeted 48.40 percent to $7.73 million. Installation, maintenance and repair of computer and peripheral equipment services witnessed a decline of 43.98 percent to $0.93 million. In fact, IT exports from Bangladesh has been witnessing a downward trend for the past one and a half years. The shipment from the sector fell in the last financial year that ended in June, the first such decline in five years, dealing a blow to the government's export diversification efforts. The earnings of domestic IT firms declined 7.42 percent to $548.10 million in 2022-23. Rashad Kabir, managing director of Dream71 Bangladesh Ltd, called the fall in IT exports "alarming" since the sector is considered to be the most promising when it comes to export diversification after the garment industry, which accounts for 85 percent of national export earnings. "The main reason we are predicting is the worldwide economic crisis, especially in the US and Europe where Bangladeshi ICT companies export their software products mostly." A lack of skilled human resources has also contributed to the decline since it is quite impossible to compete in the international market with this shortcoming, he said. Kabir urged Bangladeshi companies to focus on technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Big Data. "This is because it will be tough for our tech companies to grow in the coming years if they rely only on conventional technologies."

https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/funding-another-metro-confirmed-3535511 Rejaul Karim Byron , Wasim Bin Habib Sun Feb 4, 2024 12:00 AM Last update on: Sun Feb 4, 2024 03:12 PM Funding for Gabtoli-Dasherkandi metro line confirmed ADB, S Korea to provide $4.5b for MRT-5 southern route The prospect of having another major metro rail route in Dhaka looks bright as financing for the construction of the southern route of Mass Rapid Transit Line-5 has been confirmed. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $3 billion and South Korea $1.5 billion for the job. The Bangladesh government will give the rest of the funds needed for the project which will cost an estimated $5.1 billion in total, said officials of finance and planning ministries. The project aims at easing traffic congestion with metro service between Gabtoli in Dhaka's western part and Dasherkandi in Dhaka's eastern part, a distance of 17.20km. The deadline is 2030. Over 13km of the lines will be underground and 4.10km elevated. With the confirmation of the funding, the Road Transport and Bridges Division submitted the detailed project proposal to the planning ministry last month. An official requesting anonymity said the ministry's project evaluation committee will examine the proposal first and then it will be placed at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for approval. Finance ministry officials said a high-level team of the ADB confirmed the financing while visiting Bangladesh in November last year. The project has been included in ADB's pipeline for this year. The ADB fund will be a mix of concessional and non-concessional loans, and the repayment period will be 30 years, including a five-year grace period. The multilateral lender completed the feasibility study, engineering design, and procurement documentation in November 2022. Meanwhile, South Korea signed a "Framework Arrangement" in May last year to provide a soft loan of $3 billion during the 2023-2027 period. Of the funds, $1.5 billion will be for the southern route of Mass Rapid Transit Line-5. The interest rate will be 0.01 to 0.05 percent with a 40-year repayment period and a 15-year grace period, said the finance ministry officials. The country's first metro rail line, formerly known as MRT Line-6, came into full operation, except the Motijheel-Kamalapur part, on January 22, significantly reducing travel time in a major part of the city. Now, the metro trains operate between Uttara and Motijheel from 7:00am to 8:40pm six days a week. Construction work of two more metro rail lines -- MRT Line-5 (northern route) and MRT Line-1 -- is going on. The northern route of MRT Line-5 will be a 20km route from Hemayetpur to Bhatara via Gabtoli, Mirpur-10 and Gulshan. The deadline for the Tk 41,239 crore project is 2028. The MRT Line-1 is the biggest infrastructure project in the transport sector, involving Tk 52,561.43 crore. It will be a 31.24km route with 19 stations. It will have a 19.87km underground section from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kamalapur and a 11.36km elevated section from Notun Bazar to Purbachal. PROJECT DETAILS The southern route of MRT line-5 will start from Gabtoli and end at Dasherkandi via Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, Asad Gate, Russell Square, Karwan Bazar, Hatirjheel, Tejgaon and Aftabnagar. There will be 11 underground and four elevated stations. The tunnel section will be between Gabtoli and Aftabnagar while the elevated portion is from Aftabnagar to Dasherkandi, according to the project documents. Nineteen trains with six air-conditioned coaches will be operated initially. As per the documents, each metro train will have a maximum carrying capacity of 1,908 passengers with a maximum 323 passengers in each of the four middle coaches and a maximum of 308 in each of the trailer coaches. The travel time between Gabtoli and Dasherkandi is estimated to be 28 minutes. A train will run every four minutes and 30 seconds in 2030. The resettlement cost has been estimated at Tk 4,716 crore. According to the project documents, the population of Dhaka is estimated to be over 20 million at present and will be close to 30 million in 2035. This project will contribute to reducing traffic congestion and improving the environment of Dhaka city and its adjoining areas. As per the time-bound action plan, the government will build a 140km network of metro rails consisting six lines in Dhaka and adjacent areas by 2030. Once the planned network consisting of six lines comes into reality, 50 lakh people will be able to use the facilities.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangla/অর্থনীতি/news-details-195598 রিয়াদ হোসেন 02 February, 2024, 12:10 pm Last modified: 02 February, 2024, 12:16 pm প্রায় দুই-তৃতীয়াংশ টিআইএনধারী রিটার্ন জমা দেননি দুই মাস সময় বাড়ানোর পর চূড়ান্ত হিসাবে দেখা গেছে, গত ৩১ জানুয়ারি পর্যন্ত ট্যাক্স রিটার্ন জমা দেওয়া হয়েছে ৩৫ লাখ ৪০ হাজার, যা আগের বছরের একই সময়ের তুলনায় প্রায় ১৭ শতাংশ বেশি। জাতীয় রাজস্ব বোর্ডের (এনবিআর) তথ্য অনুযায়ী, দেশে এখন ট্যাক্স আইডেন্টিফিকেশন নাম্বারধারীর (টিআইএন) সংখ্যা ১ কোটি ছুঁই ছুঁই। এর অর্থ হলো টিআইএনধারীর দুই-তৃতীয়াংশই ট্যাক্স রিটার্ন জমা দেননি। টিআইএনধারীর সংখ্যার বিবেচনায় যে পরিমাণ রিটার্ন জমা পড়েছে, তাকে সন্তোষজনক বলে মনে করছেন না বিশেষজ্ঞরা। এনবিআরের সাবেক সদস্য (ইনকাম ট্যাক্স পলিসি) ড. সৈয়দ মো. আমিনুল করিম দ্য বিজনেস স্ট্যান্ডার্ডকে বলেন, 'দেশে যে পরিমাণ টিআইএনধারী রয়েছেন, সে বিবেচনায় ৩৫ লাখের সামান্য বেশি রিটার্ন জমা সন্তোষজনক নয়।' তিনি বলেন, 'অনেকে মনে করেন, রিটার্ন দিয়ে বিপদ ডেকে আনব কি না। আয়, সম্পদের তথ্য দিতে গিয়ে হয়রানির (ট্যাক্সম্যানদের) মধ্যে পড়েন কি না, এই ভয়ে তারা রিটার্ন দিতে চান না।' এছাড়া মূল্যস্ফীতির কারণে মানুষের প্রকৃত আয় কমে যাওয়া, নতুন আইন সম্পর্কে মানুষের মধ্যে সঠিক তথ্যের অভাবও ট্যাক্স রিটার্ন কম জমা দেওয়ার পেছনে অন্যতম কারণ বলে মনে করেন সৈয়দ আমিনুল করিম। তবে এনবিআর সদস্য সৈয়দ মোহাম্মদ আবু দাউদ (ট্যাক্স অ্যাডমিন অ্যান্ড হিউম্যান রিসোর্সেস ম্যানেজমেন্ট) রিটার্ন জমা দেওয়ার সংখ্যা নিয়ে সন্তোষ প্রকাশ করেন বলেন, 'আমরা আশাবাদী, কেননা এখনও কোম্পানির রিটার্ন জমার মেয়াদ শেষ হয়নি। ফলে আরও বাড়বে।' কোম্পানির জন্য রিটার্ন জমা দেওয়ার শেষ তারিখ ১৫ জানুয়ারি থেকে বাড়িয়ে ২৮ ফেব্রুয়ারি করা হয়েছে। এনবিআরের তথ্য অনুযায়ী, গত বছরের শেষ পর্যন্ত ব্যক্তিশ্রেণির করদাতাদের কাছ থেকে ট্যাক্স রিটার্নের মাধ্যমে ৫ হাজার ৮০০ কোটি টাকা আদায় হয়েছে, যা আগের বছরের একই সময়ের তুলনায় ১৮ শতাংশ বেশি। গত বছরের জানুয়ারি পর্যন্ত রিটার্ন জমা পড়েছিল ৩০ লাখ ২৮ হাজারের কিছু বেশি। কয়েক মাস আগে এক অনুষ্ঠানে এনবিআর চেয়ারম্যান বলেছিলেন, ২০২২-২৩ অর্থবছরের শেষ নাগাদ রিটার্ন জমা হয়েছিলো ৩৫ লাখের মত। এনবিআর সদস্য আমিনুল করিম বলেন, এবার নতুন আয়কর আইনে সময়মতো ট্যাক্স রিটার্ন জমা না দিলে কিছু কঠোর শাস্তি দেওয়ার কারণে যারা সময়মতো রিটার্ন জমা দিতে ব্যর্থ হয়েছেন, তারা এর পর রিটার্ন জমা দিতে উৎসাহিত হবেন না। 'এর অর্থ হলো অতীতের বছরগুলোর মতো এবার নির্ধারিত সময়ের পর রিটার্ন জমা খুব বেশি হয়তো হবে না,' বলেন তিনি। দুই বছর আগে পর্যন্ত ৩৫ ধরনের সেবা নেওয়ার ক্ষেত্রে টিআইএন প্রদর্শন বাধ্যতামূলক করা হয়েছিল। তাতে টিআইএন বাড়তে শুরু করলেও রিটার্ন তেমন বাড়ছিল না। এরপর এনবিআর ৩৮ ধরনের সেবা নেওয়ার ক্ষেত্রে প্রুফ অভ সাবমিশন অভ রিটার্ন বা পিএসআর জমা নেওয়া বাধ্যতামূলক করে। গত বছর নতুন আয়কর আইনে এই সংখ্যা বাড়িয়ে ৪৩ করা হয়, অর্থাৎ এসব সেবা নেওয়ার ক্ষেত্রে পিএসআর দেখাতে হবে। এনবিআর কর্মকর্তাদের কেউ কেউ আশা করেছিলেন, এসব উদ্যোগের কারণে এবার অর্ধেকের কাছাকাছি টিআইএনধারী রিটার্ন জমা দেবেন। কিন্তু শেষপর্যন্ত তা হয়নি। সাবেক এনবিআর চেয়ারম্যান মোহাম্মদ আব্দুল মজিদ মনে করেন, যেসব প্রতিষ্ঠান বা সংস্থা পিএসআর যাচাই করার দায়িত্বে রয়েছে, তারা হয়তো নিজেদের দায়িত্ব ঠিকমতো পালন করছে না।

https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/sinohydro-flouting-duty-free-import-rules-3506091 Mohammad Suman Sat Dec 30, 2023 12:00 AM Last update on: Sat Dec 30, 2023 03:41 AM Sinohydro flouting duty-free import rules The Chinese company selling construction materials imported for Padma bridge project; NBR turns a blind eye Chinese state-owned company Sinohydro Corporation Limited imported equipment, vehicles and accessories worth about $103 million or Tk 1,145 crore in the last nine years under duty-waiver facility. The condition was that the company will not sell or hand over the goods to anyone in Bangladesh without permission from the National Board of Revenue. The NBR had allowed imports of these machinery under the River Training Works, a sub-project of the Padma bridge project. The products were brought in 1,810 shipments -- 1,171 for the company's own use and the rest 339 consignments on condition that the goods must be re-exported. But an investigation by The Daily Star has found that Sinohydro has not taken back a single product in the last nine years. Instead, the company has sold, and is still selling, many of these construction materials and heavy machinery in Bangladesh in violation of import rules. Through the sales in the local market, the company is making a lot of money while evading taxes and import duties. There is no official figure available. The duty rates of these imported goods range from 25 percent to 64 percent of the import value. Under customs rules, the company can be fined between 200 percent and 400 percent of the evaded revenue for misusing the duty-free import facility. But multiple officials confirmed that neither the NBR nor the customs authorities have taken any step against the company. BONANZA FOR SINOHYDRO In response to an application by Sinohydro, the NBR in December 2014 approved the imports of 480 types of goods on 12 conditions, including re-export, documents show. The products include dump trucks, forklifts, diesel engine, concrete mixing trucks, cable, submersible pumps, generators, truck cranes, loaders, bulldozers, road rollers, excavators, mixing plants, cylinders, steel pipes, draggers and rubber pipes. According to the documents, most of the goods came from China, although some came from Pakistan, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Weighing about 41,776 tonnes, their import value stood at $10,30,47,620, customs documents show. However, no information about the re-export was found on the NBR server under the name of the company, officials said, requesting anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. Our investigation shows the company has already sold many of these products, while sales of many other products are currently underway. On November 24, The Daily Star visited the yard of Sinohydro Corporation in the Padma bridge project area in Jazira, and found the yard abuzz with potential customers. Md Faisal, who has been a driver at the company for five years, was seen busy negotiating with several of them. When this correspondent approached him posing as a customer, Faisal said they are selling each dump truck for Tk 10 lakh, mixing truck for Tk 15-20 lakh, floater excavator Tk 15-18 lakh, crane for Tk 10-15 lakh, forklift for Tk 6-10 lakh. Besides, various steel structures and old equipment are being sold for Tk 70,000 to Tk 200,000 per tonne. Faisal, 27, said he connects the potential customers with the yard in-charge, "Mr Gao," once the buyers primarily accept the offer. NO PAPER TRAIL Visiting the yard, The Daily Star found at least 35 tractors (Model-Eicher 5560), 34 dump trucks (Model- 25T), 78 forklifts (Model-5T, 3T and 2T), four concrete mixing trucks (Model-8m3), 12 submersible pumps (Model-150LQ-480-6), 12 generators, 43 excavators (Volvo and Hitachi) and piles of steel structures and rubber pipes were on sale. Three mixing plants, including a new plant for making cement blocks, were also on display for sale. The Daily Star spoke to seven potential customers who went to the yard from Dhaka, Chattogram, Barishal and Bhola to buy vehicles and equipment on November 24. Six of them said they had previously bought various construction vehicles and machinery from the Sinohydro yard. One of them owns a Bhola-based construction materials supplying company. In a secretly recorded video, he said he bought three concrete mixing trucks for Tk 65 lakh and 10 dump trucks for Tk 1 crore. He was seen busy installing new batteries as they got damaged since the vehicles were not in use for a long time. He said he sells these materials to construction companies at a 20-30 percent profit margin. He also said there are no documents with these vehicles. So, after the purchase, it costs several lakhs more to prepare the documents with the help of brokers at Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. Four months ago, he bought 12 trucks and excavators from the yard, he said, adding that he already completed the paperwork from the BRTA. Contacted, Mohmmad Abdur Razzak, director (enforcement wing) of BRTA, said, "We have received information about registration of different models of dump trucks, tractors, ready mixing trucks on the pretext that the documents got lost after import. We have started looking into the matter seriously as the number of such registrations has gone up recently." He said their primary investigation reveals about 350 such vehicles have been registered this year alone. A Dhaka-based businessman told The Daily Star at the Sinohydro yard on 24 November that all transactions are made in cash and no party keeps evidence. He said when Sinohydro officials declined to provide any document, he did not buy any items from there. The Daily Star has tracked down another big buyer, Nannu Mia, a businessman from Dhaka's Postabazar area. "I bought 38 dump trucks, 36 trucks and three ready-mixing trucks. They sold out quickly as their prices are much lower than the market price. Negotiations are underway to buy three more concrete ready mixers," he said in late November. Sinohydro project Director Qu Yan did not respond to our two emails sent to the company's official email address on December 21 and 24. The company general manager in the Dhaka office, Qiu Chenyang, also did not respond to our email queries. However, Mr Gao, the in-charge of the Sinohydro yard in Jazira, in a WhatsApp message said, "We are handling relevant procedures for transferring temporary imports to permanent imports, which were imported under re-export conditions." He did not respond to the question as to why the company is selling the goods already, and why the company did not seek NBR's permission beforehand. He also would not say how many of those goods have already been sold in the local market. NBR'S CONDITIONS Sinohydro initiated the import process in January 2015, under Customs Prosecution Code-170 (used to import capital machinery and other equipment) and IM-5 (used for re-export items), using duty waiver facilities. Customs laws do not allow sales of capital equipment imported with duty waiver without prior approval from the customs office. Even after the NBR permission, the importer must pay the prescribed duty. The NBR allowed Sinohydro to import the goods on 12 conditions, top among them is re-export of the products. The re-export condition is very stringent and specific. The stipulated time for the mandatory re-export is initially six months, but this can be extended every six months until the relevant project completes. For the time extension, the company must apply in writing and get NBR's permission in writing. But Sinohydro has never applied for time extension, multiple sources said. Other conditions include the imported goods and machinery should be used only for the Padma bridge project, and they cannot be sold or transferred locally without NBR permission. Documents show Qu Yan, project manager of River Training Works of the Padma bridge project, and Md Shafiqul Islam, Padma bridge project director, signed a joint undertaking for the conditional imports. In case of failure to comply with the conditions, the company is obliged to pay the prescribed customs duty, according to the joint undertaking obtained by The Daily Star. But the company has not done that either. There is also no official record that the customs house at the Chattogram Port, through which the products were imported, asked the company to pay the duty. MYSTERIOUS SILENCE Prof Moinul Islam of Chattogram University said the role of the customs is mysterious. "Irregularities of this nature and scale can only happen when customs officials go silent," said Prof Moinul, who teaches economics. Mohammad Fyzur Rahman, commissioner of Chattogram Customs House, said contractors of several megaprojects have taken advantage of this type of duty-free import facilities. "Demand letters or show cause notices should have been issued to the companies concerned after six months. In this case, there may have been an oversight," he told The Daily Star. He also said relevant officials will be instructed to look into the matter. A customs official on condition of anonymity said if the authorities secured a bank guarantee equivalent to the revenue against the consignments, the customs authorities could encash the guarantee without serving any notice. "The risk of not getting the evaded duties is high as it is a foreign company. So, if any company wants to take such re-export benefits in the future, the customs authorities should take a bank guarantee," the official added. Chattorgram Customs House Deputy Commissioner AKM Khairul Basar, who took charge a month ago, said, "The National Board of Revenue provides import facilities on condition of mandatory re-export for various government projects. Sinohydro has imported various goods under this facility, but we have no information that the company returned those goods." He added that they are looking into why the Chinese company did not seek time extension and why no action was taken against it. "We will have the details once we have been through the official files," he told The Daily Star on Sunday. NBR Member Md Masud Sadiq (Customs Policy) said there is no scope for selling any goods brought under re-export facility. "In case there is evidence of selling such items before paying duty, there is a provision for collecting fines on top of the duty amount evaded," he said.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangla/বাংলাদেশ/news-details-188186 জোবায়ের চৌধুরী 24 December, 2023, 02:05 pm Last modified: 24 December, 2023, 02:34 pm ২ মাসের মধ্যে কক্সবাজারে দেশের প্রথম বাণিজ্যিক বায়ুবিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্পের কাজ শেষ হবে বায়ু থেকে শক্তি: দৈনিক জাতীয় গ্রিডে ২০ মেগাওয়াট সরবরাহ করছে দেশের একমাত্র বায়ু বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র কক্সবাজারে দেশের প্রথম বাণিজ্যিক বায়ুবিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্পের কাজ প্রায় শেষের দিকে। আগামী দুই মাসের মধ্যে ৬০ মেগাওয়াট সক্ষমতার বায়ুবিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রটি পুরোদমে উৎপাদনে যাবে বলে আশা করা হচ্ছে। সরকারি প্রকল্পটির কাজ চলতি বছরের ডিসেম্বরের মধ্যে শেষ হওয়ার কথা থাকলেও কেন্দ্রটি পূর্ণ মাত্রায় উৎপাদনে যেতে কিছুটা বাড়তি সময় লাগতে পারে বলে জানিয়েছেন কর্মকর্তারা। বিদ্যুৎ বিভাগের যুগ্ম সচিব (নবায়নযোগ্য জ্বালানি) নিরোদ চন্দ্র মন্ডল দ্য বিজনেস স্ট্যান্ডার্ডকে বলেন, বাংলাদেশের প্রথম বাণিজ্যিক বায়ুবিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র নির্মাণ প্রকল্পটি প্রায় শেষের পথে। গত বছরের ৩১ মার্চ ১১৬.৫১ মিলিয়ন ডলারের ব্যয়ের এ প্রকল্পের কাজ শুরু হয়। এই প্রকল্পের নেতৃত্বে রয়েছে বেসরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠান ইউএস-ডিকে গ্রিন এনার্জি বিডি লিমিটেড, আর্থিক সহায়তা দিচ্ছে চীনা কোম্পানি এসপিআইসি উইলিং পাওয়ার কর্পোরেশন। সমুদ্র উপকূলের কাছে কক্সবাজারে অবস্থিত বায়ুবিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্পটি চলতি বছরের ২৬ মে জাতীয় গ্রিডে পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে ৩০ মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎ সরবরাহ শুরু করে। কাজ শেষ হওয়ার পর প্রকল্পের তত্ত্বাবধানকারী সংস্থাটি ১৯ বছরের ব্যবস্থাপনা চুক্তির অধীনে সরকারের কাছে বিদ্যুৎ বিক্রি করবে। কক্সবাজার উপকূলরেখা বরাবর অবস্থিত খুরুশকুল, পিএম খালী, চৌফলদন্ডী ও পোকখালী ইউনিয়নের মতো বেশ কিছু জায়গায় ২২টি টারবাইন স্থাপনের কাজ চলছে। প্রতিটি টারবাইনের সক্ষমতা ৩ মেগাওয়াট। প্রকল্প ব্যবস্থাপক প্রকৌশলী মুকিত আলম খান টিবিএসকে জানান, প্রকল্পের কাজ ৮৫ শতাংশ সম্পন্ন হয়েছে। ১০টি টারবাইন ইতিমধ্যে ৩০ মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন করছে, আর পাঁচটি টারবাইন চালু হওয়ার অপেক্ষায় রয়েছে, আরও সাতটি টারবাইন স্থাপনের পর্যায়ে রয়েছে। পুরোদমে চালু হওয়ার পর বায়ুবিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রটি বছরে প্রায় ১৪৫ মিলিয়ন কিলোওয়াট পরিচ্ছন্ন বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন করবে। আর কয়লা খরচ ৪৪ হাজার ৬০০ টন, কার্বন-ডাই-অক্সাইড নিঃসরণ ১ লাখ ৯ হাজার ২০০ টন কমাবে। এছাড়া কেন্দ্রটি ১ লাখ পরিবারের বিদ্যুতের চাহিদা মেটাবে বলে আশা করা হচ্ছে। বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রটি নির্মাণের সময় ১ হাজার ৫০০-র বেশি কর্মসংস্থান তৈরি হয়েছে। কক্সবাজারের বাইরে সিরাজগঞ্জ, বাগেরহাট ও চুয়াডাঙ্গা জেলায় ১০২ মেগাওয়াট সক্ষমতার আরও কয়েকটি বায়ুবিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্পের কাজ চলছে। চাঁদপুর সদরে ৫০ মেগাওয়াট বায়ুবিদ্যুৎ প্রকল্প এবং ফেনীর সোনাগাজীতে ৩০ মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রের পরিকল্পনাও পাইপলাইনে রয়েছে। ২০২২ সালের সেপ্টেম্বরে বাংলাদেশ বিদ্যুৎ উন্নয়ন বোর্ড (বিপিডিবি) বাগেরহাটের মোংলায় একটি ৫৫ মেগাওয়াটের বায়ুবিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র নির্মাণের জন্য মোংলা গ্রিন পাওয়ার লিমিটেডের সঙ্গে চুক্তি স্বাক্ষর করে।