Joel Ahmed

https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/last-page/metro-rail-to-guzzle-extra-tk-11487b-1643133219 Metro rail to guzzle extra Tk 114.87b MUNIMA SULTANA | January 26, 2022 00:00:00 https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1643133219.jpg An over 50-per cent cost hike in Dhaka's metro-rail project has been proposed principally for land acquisition to set up kiosks at stations, not for people's comfort ride anyway. Sources say this business-facilitation work, involving a king's ransom as additional project cost, is being done now for not carrying it out as works related to the same project. Transport experts and critics blame the huge cost escalation at the end of its implementation stage on lack of engagement of experienced and knowledgeable people in the first-ever high- tech mass-transit-system development. For this lacking, many basic needs were not assessed properly and in time. The sources say though huge private land and buildings will be acquired at various points along the 21.26-kilometre elevated transport corridor, riders on the Mass Rapid Transit Line 6 (MRT 6) will have to wait several years to get wider footpaths at different stations, station plazas and ToD (transit oriented development) planned to ensure comfortable exit from and entry to the MRT. Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has submitted a proposal to acquire huge land and private buildings to establish plazas at four stations, transit-oriented development (ToD) and footpaths widening of various stations along with extension of MRT 6 towards Kamalapur from Motijheel. All these proposals come when progress on the project was recorded nearly 75 per cent and DMTCL is working for its early commissioning of half of the route by December this year and the rest next year. With the proposed hike, the Tk 219.85 billion MRT-6 project cost is expected to shoot up to Tk 334.72 billion. Sources said the state-owned MRT company placed a need for extra Tk 114.87 billion in its revised development project proposal (DPP) showing grounds of providing facilities and services for comfortable MRT ridership and sustainability of MRT's costly operations. According to a rough estimation, nearly Tk 10 billion has been shown as cost of constructing the extension part of the MRT line 6 from Motijheel to Kamalapur while Tk 90 billion proposed to acquire land and buildings which are mostly private-owned. Another sum of Tk 10 billion is proposed to pay CD VAT and variation in the project consultants. A new contract package is also proposed to introduce enterprise resource management (ERM) which, sources say, is planned to maintain the MRT 6's all assets, control, operate trains keeping record electronically. MRT is being built under eight contract packages, and the ERM will be CP 9 costing Tk 800 million. Though DMTCL officials claim there is no hike proposed in the civil works, the extension work has been planned to carry out under the existing civil-work package showing variations. Asked about delayed assessment, DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique said real need for the land might not have been felt by the people engaged with the project at the time of formulating the DPP. ''The DPP of MRT 6 was the first of its kind, also first experience for all project officials. Maybe, people engaged in the DPP formulation might not have realised the need for station plazas or required space for footpath to make sure comfortable exit and entry from a station," he told the FE over phone. The MD, who joined the state-owned MRT company after retirement as secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division in 2017, however, said DMTCL is now trying to make the MRT 6 international-standard. But sources say the feasibility study done in 2012-2013 had recommendations for station plazas, ToD and smooth exit and entry but those were not addressed in the DPP. It was due to lack of understanding of the concept of station plaza or ToD. Some former project officials are, however, critical of the policy of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project's financier, as land-acquisition proposal was against its board-approval policy. Nevertheless, transport-expert Prof Mohammad Shamsul Hoque blames "faulty development philosophy" being maintained by the government agencies in planning and implementing development projects. He says project officials lacking in skill or experience often cause cost- and time-overrun. "MRT is no exception," he adds. "What works were needed to do at the upfront are now being tried to be done at this stage, which means lack of knowledge, experience and vision by the people engaged in the projects," he says. Being a new and highly technical project, says Dr Shamsul Hoque, who is a professor of Civil Engineering Department of BUET, initial lapses could have been avoided by following practices in other Asian countries, including in hiring skilled and experienced people in key posts. MoRTB took the initiative to develop the metro rails in the city under the 20-year strategic transport plan which proposed three MRTs in 2005. Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) completed the feasibility study finding the first line from Pallabi to Saidabad in elevated way viable. However, the route later was changed on both sides due to objection from different quarters, including Bangladesh Army and Air Force, on various grounds. Saidabad point was diverted towards Motijheel after the government allowed Mayor Hanif flyover though JICA's study recommended setting up multimodal transport hub there. The Pallabi end was extended toward Uttara 3rd phase while route from Agargaon diverted towards Khamarbari instead of Bijoy Sarani. Official sources say initial MRT 6 challenges have been overcome after lots of struggle as many authorities were then in double about execution of the metro-rail project. They also say business model for the MRT 6 was also not considered as JICA would not provide financial support to any commercial cause in the project. In the proposed increase in the cost, JICA's part of contribution is likely to increase by Tk 20 billion, mainly to carry extension of the MRT 6. After lots of discussion, the project officials finally adopted business model to increase income from sustainability point of view of the costly MRT project. The ToD is planned at Uttara South station, four station plazas at Uttara North, Agargaon, Farmgate and Kamalapur. General consultant of the project is likely to develop the concept station plazas and ToD which is to keep open spaces for pickup and drop with different facilities. [email protected]

https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/import-tax-revenue-up-on-the-back-of-higher-rate-1643132828 Import tax revenue up on the back of higher rate Taxmen favour conservative approach DOULOT AKTER MALA | January 26, 2022 00:00:00 https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1643132828.jpg The country's tax collection at import stage marks impressive growth as taxmen have been taking a conservative approach as far as rationalisation of tariff is concerned. Import duty rate is one of the highest in Bangladesh, 25 per cent, among top five countries, which experts find as a negative factor for a developing country. As a World Trade Organisation (WTO) member, Bangladesh will have to bring down its average import tariff for the sake of trade liberalisation. Data available with the National Board of Revenue shows revenue collection at import stage has grown by 76.12 per cent in the past five years (2016-17 to 2020-21). However, the volume of income tax receipts was higher than customs revenue as almost 60 per cent taxes come at import stage in the form of advance income tax (AIT). Policy Research Institute chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar says total tax incidence (TTI) at import stage stands at 51 per cent on average in Bangladesh. It is among one of the top five countries having higher import taxes, he adds. "Reliance on trade tax should not be more than 30 to 33 per cent. It could be around 27 per cent in case of reliance on customs duty and supplementary duty." Dr Sattar says the country has to shift its dependence on trade tax at import stage to domestic revenue mobilisation from VAT and income tax. The local market is more profitable for traders because of higher tariff protection. This is also discouraging them from venturing into export, he adds. Officials listed the surge in commodity imports, hike in their international prices, increased freight charges, efforts to check trade-based tax evasion and automation as factors that propelled the higher growth of customs revenue. Import of goods grew by 20 per cent in fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 despite the pandemic. In the first half (H1) of this fiscal, the revenue collection at import stage grew by 19.50 per cent. In the first quarter, customs revenue grew by 21 per cent than that of the corresponding period last year. However, the aggregate revenue collection growth in the past six months has been between 14 and 16 per cent. Chattogram Customs House (CCH), the main entry point of goods, posted 32.42-per cent growth in revenue receipts year on year in December 2021 while it achieved 26-per cent growth in H1. CCH commissioner Md Fakhrul Alam said efficiency of customs monitoring team and enforcement of law helped check evasion at import stage. Importers have to count up to 200-per cent penalty in case of detection of irregularities. Such high penalty has reduced around 80 per cent of irregularities and cases also declined by 50 per cent, he added. Post-clearance audit, advance ruling, intrusive inspection and e-payment have also started paying off. Prices of major revenue-earners like fuel oil, bitumen, motor vehicle, electrical and electronic items, lime and cement products, iron and steel, plastic products, sugar, nuclear stove, boiler, machinery, fruits and nuts have gone up globally. This global price impact and the high cost of imported commodities have contributed to higher customs duties, although the government refrains from upward adjustment of import-stage taxes considering Covid-19. Petroleum products are one of the major revenue contributing importables that saw a price hike in the international market. The import cost of petroleum products reached $1.04 billion during the July-August period, up 71 per cent year on year. A senior customs official says scope for tax evasion has decreased significantly in recent years, thanks to the monitoring of the value-declaration process. Checking tax evasion at entry point is easier compared to that of detecting direct tax evasion as those are scattered in many placed, he adds. Former customs member Syed Golam Kibria suggests that Bangladesh cuts tax at import stage as a WTO member. Still, the country maintains a conservative approach to reducing import-stage taxes, fearing revenue loss. "A liberalised fiscal policy is required to facilitate local industries get access to the international market," Mr Kibria says. Local manufacturers are enjoying fiscal protection that is supposed to phase out after a certain time. Such protection makes the local market more profitable for them compared to that of exporting those to other countries, he concludes. [email protected]

https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/now-66pc-increase-in-power-price-proposed-1643133074 Now 66pc increase in power price proposed BPDB move comes hot on the heels of planned doubling of gas rates M AZIZUR RAHMAN | January 26, 2022 00:00:00 Now power board seeks to raise bulk electricity tariffs around 66 per cent, hot on the heels of proposed doubling of gas rates at this trying time, sources say. The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has submitted its proposal to Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) for hike, or upward adjustment, of the tariffs with retrospective effect from January 1, 2022. State-run electricity-marketing and distribution companies would have to purchase bulk electricity at higher rates if the tariffs are raised. In a knock-on effect, they might also seek to increase retail-level electricity rates to earn additional revenues from the end-users to make up for the purchase of electricity from the BPDB at the increased bulk rates, they say. BPDB, the lone buyer of electricity from power plants, argues that its weighted average electricity supply cost would be Tk 8.58 per unit (1 kilowatt-hour) in 2022 compared to Tk 5.64 of 2021 due to increased cost in electricity purchase from power plants coupled with spike in fuel costs, including petroleum products, coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). "Withdrawal of tax waiver on the import of furnace oil since June 2020 and the slapping of 5.0-per cent value-added tax (VAT) on coal imports since July 2019 have also pushed up the overall electricity-supply cost," it points out in placing the hike plea. It wants further hike by Tk 0.56 per unit to Tk 9.14 per unit if the natural gas tariff is hiked by 100 per cent and Tk 0.69 per unit to Tk 9.27 per unit if the gas price is hiked by 125 per cent. The gas companies last week sought to more than double the natural gas tariffs for all sorts of consumers citing the import of expensive LNG from the international market. They have submitted proposals separately to the BERC to raise the weighted average natural gas price by 117.41 per cent to Tk 20.35 per cubic metre from existing Tk 9.36 per cubic metre. BPDB's existing average wholesale electricity sale price is Tk 5.17 per unit, which was raised to the current level following an 8.40-per cent, or Tk 0.40, hike in February 2020. It has argued that it will have revenue shortfall of around Tk 325 billion in 2022 if the rates were not raised. The state-run power board will have revenue requirement of around Tk 745 billion on account of electricity purchase and generation in total in the current calendar year, the BPDB argues. The commission previously hiked the bulk tariffs of electricity by 118.14 per cent to 5.17 per unit from Tk 2.37 per unit in eight phases, between March 2011 and February 2020, citing rising electricity- generation costs. The BERC raised retail-level electricity tariffs in February 2020 in the latest by 5.3 per cent, or Tk 0.36 to Tk 7.13 per unit from previous Tk 6.77 per unit. With the latest hike two years back, the commission raised retail-level electricity tariffs by 89.62 per cent from Tk 3.76 per unit, in nine phases, between March 2010 and February 2020. Currently, residential consumers who consume electricity within the range of 0-50 units pay Tk 3.75 per unit, while consumers of up to 75 units pay Tk 4.19 per unit, consumers of 76-200 units pay at Tk 5.72 per unit, 201-300 units users pay Tk 6.00 per unit, 301-400 units users pay Tk 6.34 per unit, 401-600 unit users pay Tk 9.94 per unit, and users above 600 units pay Tk 11.46 per unit. [email protected]

https://www.tbsnews.net/supplement/work-progresses-were-learning-how-overcome-challenges-big-project-362434#.YfDKODTQFeo.facebook Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk 26 January, 2022, 10:00 am Last modified: 26 January, 2022, 10:16 am As work progresses, we’re learning how to overcome challenges of a big project 'Under this project, two zones of the industrial city will be developed as green areas and various services will be ensured,' said Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk, the project director at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar Development Project The government is developing the country's largest industrial city "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar" on 30,000 acres of land sprawling across Chattogram's Mirsarai and Sitakunda along with Feni's Sonagazi upazilas. The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) is implementing the "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar Development Project" at Tk4,036 crore for eco-friendly (green) industries on an area of about 1,000 acres. In July 2021, I joined this five-year project stretching from January 2021 to December 2025 as its project director. Before this, I was working with Beza and was already aware of this project and the economic zone. So I dared to take the responsibility as its project director (PD). If I had no prior experience with the Shilpa Nagar, I would have no choice but to give up. Coming to this stage of my duties as a PD, I am feeling good about myself as I am involved with a big change in the country's industrial sector. To discharge this duty, I have to work extra hours every day but I am not tired. I think all the hard work will pay off if the project is completed successfully. It is difficult to manage a project. And this project is very complicated. Since we want to set up a green economic zone here, we have to abide by many regulations. There are much public-private partnership (PPP) projects in it. Since this project is being implemented with funds from the World Bank, we have to maintain everything to the specifications. As the project is attached to the Prime Minister's Office, everything has to be systematic. The Prime Minister's Office is closely monitoring it. We don't have any scope of making a mistake here and we will be able to overcome these challenges with sincerity and dedication. But the main challenge is, there are problems with the supply chain for the types of work that will have to be done in the project. We have no experience in these areas which is our main challenge. Production in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) is going to officially begin in March. So, the factories in the industrial city are currently taking preparation for that. The photo was taken on Tuesday. Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS Besides, the projects in the PPP model are also very challenging. This is a very big project which has a lot of complicated work. The challenge is that we do not know many things. We will learn things first and then we will implement that. We are in contact with foreign firms and are trying to learn from them how we can do something better. We can't even go on foreign tours because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are still in the primary stages of the project. The challenge will be more obvious in the execution phase. The weather in the project area is also a big challenge. Rainfall is high here which will be a major challenge as well. It will take prolonged labour to move forward in the implementation of the project. It takes a long time for a work which could be done in an hour if we were experts. We are trying to learn it. We have to learn about these issues from experts, consultants, partners, representatives of the World Bank and others concerned. The experience gained in this project has the potential to be used in other industrial cities in the country. We are constantly gaining experience in implementing this project. These experiences will play a positive role in the subsequent implementation of such projects. The project implementation deadline is 2025 but it will not end on time because it started one year after the schedule. In addition, there is also the effect of coronavirus. Therefore, I do not see the possibility of completing the project within the stipulated time. Under this project, two zones of the industrial city will be developed as green areas and various services will be ensured. There are plans for land development, setting up of a 30km four-lane road, water supply and sewerage system, administrative building, desalination plant, steam network, solid waste plant, biogas plant, canal excavation, power and gas distribution network and installation of solar panels. One-stop service for all services and a skill development centre will be set up under the project. This industrial city will be built suitable for setting up world-class green factories. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Tk4,347 crore, of which Tk3,067 crore will come from the World Bank. Asian Paints' factory will be the first factory to go into production in late February or early March 2022. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the factory. This project will become visible as soon as the initiative is taken to build a factory. Garments Village has been made suitable for factory construction. So investors in this sector could start building factories immediately. In addition, we urge companies that have been allotted land to come forward to build factories without any delay. The author is Project Director at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar Development Project. [The article is based on Abdullah Al Mahmud Faruk's conversation with The Business Standard's Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/world-bank-to-push-limping-projects-1643084258 World Bank to push limping projects FHM HUMAYAN KABIR | Published: January 25, 2022 10:17:38 | Updated: January 25, 2022 17:25:22 https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1643084258.jpg Negotiators are doing hectic homework as the World Bank sits shortly with government side to clear bottlenecks to slow-going projects it has financed in Bangladesh, sources say. A number of the World Bank-funded projects, worth US$2.80 billion, turned "problematic" and "slow-going" for a slew of reasons, insiders said Monday. Ahead of the reappraisal meeting, the government agencies concerned are going to sit tomorrow (Wednesday) to get armed with preparations to face the WB evaluation, they said. The Washington-based lender is learnt to be unhappy with the dreary progress on at least 10 development projects bankrolled by it in Bangladesh as those are performing bleak over the years, they added. "Some ongoing projects have been selected as slow-moving and problematic. The Bank will sit for a tripartite review meeting next week to find ways of their acceleration," says a senior Ministry of Finance (MoF) official. Some other WB-funded projects which also have different types of problems would also be discussed at the review meeting, he adds. Economic Relations Division (ERD) will arrange the virtual meeting, scheduled for January 30-31, which WB executives and project directors will attend. A senior ERD official said they would sit for an inter-ministerial meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) before going to sit for reviewing the problematic and slow-moving projects. "We will work out the ways of overcoming the complexities on way to implementation of the development projects," he adds. "If there is heedlessness of the implementing agencies, we'll look into the matter at the tripartite meeting. Similarly, if there are any problems from the donor side, we will also try to tackle the issues," the ERD official further says. Another ERD official says: "We will sit for reviewing the slow-moving projects. The meeting will discuss possible solutions to the hurdles standing in the way of implementing these projects." He adds: "We've selected some projects whose progress is rather slow although funding from the WB (for those) has already been confirmed. So, we need to streamline the projects." The projects include $202 million-funded Modern Food Storage Facility Project (MFSFP), $500 million Livestock and Dairy Development Project, $360 million Bangladesh Water Transport project 1 (inland waterways), $217 million Ghorasal-4 repowering project, $356.70 million Bangladesh investment promotion and financing facility project-II, $700 million Quality learning for all programmes, $150 million health and gender-supported project for Cox's Bazaar, $100 million safety-net system for the poorest, $150 million Bangladesh regional connectivity and $65 million Bangladesh insurance-sector development project. According to WB and ERD officials, the 10 projects are on the weak trajectory in terms of implementation despite WB's approval given several years ago. Among the projects, the Modern Food Storage Facility Project was approved by the WB board in December 2013. But it had been a very slow-moving project since then, whose closing date was extended up to April 2022. The Livestock and Dairy Development Project, which got the go-ahead in December 2018, has also been on the slow lane. Similarly, execution of many of those projects was being affected due to multiple hurdles, the ERD officials also said. "We are hopeful of finding out some solutions and certain action plans for implementing the projects in the remaining period of their respective tenure," he adds. Currently, WB's development-financing portfolio in Bangladesh consists of more than 50 projects with a commitment of some $15 billion in loans and grants. In the last fiscal year, 2020-21, the agency made a commitment to provide nearly $2.12 billion worth of assistance to Bangladesh. [email protected]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/commerce-ministry-to-coordinate-transit-multimodal-connectivity-matters-1643079064 Commerce ministry to coordinate transit, multimodal connectivity matters Experts suggest well-thought-out deals as turfs extend far off SYFUL ISLAM | Published: January 25, 2022 08:51:05 | Updated: January 25, 2022 17:15:46 https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1643079064.jpg It's now commerce ministry's job to coordinate connectivity and transit affairs in line with the allocation of business, a government meeting decides as many trans-border communications deals are being dealt with. Officials say the decision comes as different ministries and divisions indulge in completion of transit-or connectivity-related various bilateral and multilateral deals and memorandum of understanding in scattered ways. The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) thinks that these activities need proper coordination to make the most of these pacts involving trade and commerce and transportation. Senior Secretary of the commerce ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh chaired the inter-ministerial meeting which discussed that the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN), Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM), South Asian Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Regional Integration, Asian Highways, Silk Road, and One-Belt, One-Road arrangements are some of the initiatives where other ministries and divisions have signed various documents. But the 'Allocation of Business among different ministries and divisions (schedule 1 of the Rules of Business 1996, revised in April 2017)' titled 'Transit Trade through Bangladesh' has allocated the authority of completion of commercial transit-related activities to the ministry of commerce. The meeting was told that the ministry of shipping had signed 15 instruments with India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Thailand for setting up regional connectivity. Also, the ministry has taken initiative to sign deal on the setting up of bilateral waterway connectivity with far-off countries like Qatar and Cyprus. A representative of the ministry of railway in the meeting said presently Bangladesh has rail communications with India on five routes and works are underway to set up two more cross-border routes. "Besides, under the trilateral protocol signed in 1976 transit traffic system with Nepal also exists," he apprised the inter-ministerial meeting. A representative of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) pointed out that many ministries had taken different activities and projects on connectivity and transit issues on their own, though the matters are of high national stakes. He felt that as lead ministry, the ministry of commerce in consultation with the ministry of foreign affairs could take decision on these issues to make those more beneficial in the case of trade and commerce. The NBR man also underscored the need for prior reckonings before striking deals to determine whether those will have negative impact on country's trade and economy. A senior commerce ministry official told the FE the issue of trade-related transit must not be isolated rather should be coordinated in national interest. "Due to the selection of different routes for different countries in the case of regional communications Bangladesh is not getting expected results," he says, indicating the fault- line in trans-border transportation. He thinks that the transit and connectivity issues should be coordinated under the National Trade Facilitation Committee which is led by the commerce minister. [email protected]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/denmark-to-help-bangladesh-process-agro-products-1643169911 Denmark to help Bangladesh process agro products FE REPORT | Published: January 26, 2022 10:05:11 Denmark shows interest in investing in Bangladesh to help the latter process its agricultural products. The Scandinavian nation will also assist Bangladesh in improving the quality of its farm produce, in a bid to ensure safe food for all. These were revealed at a meeting, between Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and Danish Ambassador to Dhaka Winnie Estrup Petersen, organised by the agriculture ministry at its office in the city on Tuesday. The two countries discussed issues related to mutual cooperation in agriculture, dairy, safe food, reduction of food waste, development of food value chain and modern lab, said a press statement. Both the parties also agreed to set up a working group to identify areas for cooperation in the agricultural sector. Dr Razzaque said despite achieving an outstanding success in crop production, Bangladesh still lagged behind in export and processing of the agro products. The country has a great potential in processing of mango, pineapple, banana, tomato, potato and vegetables, thereby boosting exports by a large margin, said the minister. Danish investment and advanced technical assistance could greatly help Bangladesh become a modern food producer and processor, he observed. Dr Razzaque also sought Danish cooperation in producing food in compliance with the GAP, constructing a modern packing house, and setting up a state-of-the-art testing lab at Purbachal. In response, Danish Ambassador Winnie Estrup Petersen assured the Bangladeshi minister of cooperation in the field of agriculture. She said Denmark would assist in quality development of agricultural products as well as in agribusiness. Initiatives will be taken for investment and to send trade missions with improvement of the Covid situation, the envoy added. Agriculture ministry Secretary Md Sayedul Islam, Additional Secretary Md Ruhul Amin Talukder and Deputy Secretary SM Imrul Hasan, and Commercial Counsellor of Denmark embassy Ali Mustaq Butt, among others, were also present during the meeting. [email protected]

https://www.tbsnews.net/interviews/we-hope-see-couple-unicorns-bangladesh-next-few-years-358147 Masum Billah 16 January, 2022, 01:30 pm Last modified: 16 January, 2022, 04:52 pm ‘We hope to see a couple of Unicorns in Bangladesh in the next few years’ Tina Jabeen, the former CEO of Startup Bangladesh Limited, joined The Business Standard to share her thoughts on Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem and discuss how we can draw more foreign and local investment Tina Jabeen. Sketch: TBS TBS: According to Lightcastle Partners, Bangladeshi startups received around $165 million in funding in 2021. This was the highest funding in a year that Bangladeshi startups received. How do you evaluate Bangladeshi startups' progress so far? Is there scope to do better? Tina Jabeen: An investment of around $165 million is extremely encouraging for the ecosystem. Startup Bangladesh Ltd. – the first and only government backed VC fund in Bangladesh, also invested in seven startups last year. This sends a strong positive message to the startup ecosystem and to the local and international investors, even though the amount invested is not large. There are only a handful of government-owned VC funds in the world. Startup Bangladesh Ltd. invested within the first eight months of its emergence. So, the government's stance to support funding the startups strengthened the emerging startup ecosystem of Bangladesh. In the future, we aspire to see more investments coming in – locally and globally. Our startup ecosystem is considered an "emerging ecosystem" – as such there are tremendous opportunities to grow and scale-up. I see 2022 as a defining year from an investment perspective = globally and in emerging economies such as Bangladesh. A lot of the investors are looking into Bangladesh as a place for impact investments – in areas such as gender lens investment, SME and climate change. The tech and climate sectors are going to be very big from this decade onward as companies – local or global – need to be more environmentally and socially responsible to sustain growth. By 2050, one in every seven people in Bangladesh will be displaced by climate change. Almost 18 million people may have to move because of the rising sea level. Investments need to be made to mitigate these risks and startups can provide tech-based solutions that can be scalable and sustainable. TBS: Of the $165 million invested last year, more than 98% was foreign investment. Is there a scope to increase local investment? If so, how? Tina Jabeen: First, you need some big exits. The recycling of money, where startups invest in new startups, is happening in Bangladesh but on a smaller scale. This is happening in Silicon Valley on a larger scale because of thousands of exits. So, once an angel investor becomes very successful, they create another startup and invest in others. For example, Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, is now a partner at Greylock Partners! And he is investing in game-changing startups such as Facebook and Workday. Bangladesh's ecosystem is less than a decade old and compared to neighbouring ecosystems it is still quite small. India alone had 85+ unicorns in 2021. When a startup's founders make large exits, as was the case in LinkedIn, they recycle the money in more startups and that is how the ecosystem grows from a series of successful exits. Take a look at the investors in Silicon Valley. It is the institutional investors! If you look at the investor base of successful VC funds such as Kleiner Perkins, there are endowment funds from Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, pension funds and family offices etc. Collectively trillions of dollars have been invested and churned over decades and as a result, we see the Silicon Valley we see today. Now let's look at India. India is a comparatively mature ecosystem in South Asia. 25+ years ago, successful technopreneurs from Silicon Valley invested in India in its most promising technology companies. The founder of Infosys – Narayan Murthy launched a VC fund to incubate and fund startups in India. So you can see that private stakeholders play a key role in building the ecosystem, whereas the government plays the role of an enabler. We need patient capital and a strong private-public partnership to continue to build a robust and strong startup ecosystem in Bangladesh. And eventually, we hope to see a number of unicorns and possible exits in the next few years. It takes time but it will happen. TBS: Generally, if we consider sector-wise investment, Fintech covers almost 50% of the total investment. What about health, education or agro? How can we increase investment in necessary sectors like these? Tina Jabeen: Agriculture is a huge area in Bangladesh. We don't have enough agri-tech startups. We don't have enough startups in health-tech and education either. Some edutech startups, however, are doing a little better thanks to the education ministry engaging with some of the startups. Since it is an emerging ecosystem, the government should plug them wherever they fit in. How the ministry of education, ICT and a2i approach the relevant startups for the tasks in their niches could be an example. I think health is an untapped ministry where health-tech startups can play a very big role. In general, there need to be policies, tax policies for example, or policies in the private companies, that will engage the startups. For example, you need to develop an ERP system, why don't you approach a startup that specialises in ERP? We should also prioritise the woman founders. Maybe a woman-led startup is not that advanced in her particular area. But if we evaluate them with others in the same metrics, it won't work. We need to prioritise them because they are already fighting various biases in getting here. Most importantly, for both startups and SMEs, we should set up a one-stop service, like the one BIDA set up for foreign investors in general. The one-step service that I am talking about should be where a startup can get their trade license, template for incorporation, where they will get instructions on how to make financials etc. TBS: Is the idea of a startup really clear among our founders? Sometimes it feels like the difference between an SME and startup is not clear. It seems some startups function more like SMEs than focusing on innovation and creating value. Do you feel our start-ups come up with solutions that are innovative enough or are they prone to copying international models that have worked elsewhere? Tina Jabeen: We have an emerging startup ecosystem. A startup is about bringing in an innovative solution that is scalable, commercially sustainable while also being a gamechanger. Uber, for example, or Airbnb, is an innovation. But Pathao piggybacked on Uber model with the innovation of introducing the "bike model". Innovation does not have to be from the scratch. If you can introduce an existing solution customized for the target market in an innovative manner, why not? TBS: The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has initiated a move to allow the listing of loss-making startups having high growth potentials on the stock market. How do you evaluate this move? Tina Jabeen: This is actually a good move. There are many examples of startups going IPO but still in the red. Investors are looking at the long-term potential and market disruption. We need to educate the public market investors on investing in startup IPOs so that they can make informed investment decisions. TBS: Are our local regulations foreign investment-friendly? What should be done to attract more foreign investment in startups? What else can the government do to improve the local startup ecosystem? Tina Jabeen: You have to give incentives to the investors, both local and foreign, to make it easy for them to bring in the money. Important key government agencies/ministries such as Finance, Commerce, NBR, ICT Ministry etc need to fine-tune the existing policies so they become more startup friendly. The vat, tax and other service duties should be relaxed. However, the government is an enabler. We have billion-dollar private companies, they can also contribute by engaging the startups in their business processes, such as in procurement, etc. Also, we have hundreds of thousands of expats all over the world, especially those who work in technology. They can be engaged by contributing knowledge, money and network – there are many ways to give back to the country. This investment may come in two ways- they can be real investors with money, or they can do in-kind investment, which is technology transfer. In Silicon Valley, there is a large expat tech diaspora. We have informally launched Bangladesh - Adviser in Residence (BD AIR), which would be working with startups in Bangladesh as mentors and investors. In BD AiR, we have already enlisted expats who are engaged in global technology firms such as Google, Facebook, ThermoFisher etc. in various capacities. These mentors are passionate to be engaged with the startup ecosystem and be a part of the New Bangladesh – The Royal Bengal Tiger.

নবায়নযোগ্য, সবুজ জ্বালানির মাধ্যমে ২০৫০ সালের মধ্যে কার্বন নিঃসরণ নিট-জিরোতে নামানোর লক্ষ্যস্থির করেছে সরকার। দেশে বর্তমানে মোট কার্বন নিঃসরণের ৪৭ শতাংশই করে বিদ্যুৎ খাত। বর্তমানে দেশের মোট বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন ক্ষমতা প্রায় ২৫ হাজার মেগাওয়াট। এই বিদ্যুতের ৯৩ শতাংশই উৎপাদিত হয় জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানি দিয়ে।

https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2022/01/19/buet-signs-mou-with-walton#:~:text=Through this agreement%2C Walton has,technology products made in Bangladesh.&text=Walton will provide related equipment to set up the lab.&text=of the country.-,Walton also presented a check for Tk10,Buet for three Masters Fellowships. Buet signs MoU with Walton Walton also presented a check for Tk10 lakh to Buet for three Masters Fellowships. https://new-media.dhakatribune.com/en/uploads/2022/01/19/rsz-1-dsc2025-1.jpeg Tribune Desk January 19, 2022 6:41 PM On January 18 at the Buet Council Building, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on behalf of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Satya Prasad Majumder and on behalf of Walton DG-Tech Industries Ltd by Chairman SM Rezaul Alam. Prof Dr Muhammad Anisuzzaman Talukder, director of Research and Innovation Centre for Science and Engineering (RISE) of Buet and Golam Murshed, managing director of Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC were present in the MoU signing ceremony, reads a press release. Through this agreement, Walton has announced to set up a lab at Buet to jointly work on research and development of electronics and technology products made in Bangladesh. Walton will provide related equipment to set up the lab. Buet teachers and students will be able to do effective research on Walton products in the lab. This will bring about a revolutionary change in the economic development and technological advancement of the country. Walton also presented a check for Tk10 lakh to Buet for three Masters Fellowships. All the Deans, Heads, Directors of different departments and offices of the University and senior officials of Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC and Walton DG-Tech Industries Limited were also present on the occasion in compliance with the hygiene rules.

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/bangladesh/textiles-apparel-exports-to-us-increase-by-3068pc-in-2021-1642942330 Textiles, apparel exports to US increase by 30.68pc in 2021 Published: January 23, 2022 18:52:10 | Updated: January 23, 2022 21:25:29 The import volume of textiles and apparel from Bangladesh by the United States of America (USA) keeps growing with 30.68 per cent rise last year, according to the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), USA. The OTEXA recently published the monthly trade data of the United State of America for the period of January-November, 2021. The US import from Bangladesh during the mentioned period has increased by 30.68 per cent compared to the same period of 2020, whereas their global import saw 25.43 per cent growth, said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Director Mohiuddin Rubel on Sunday. China being the top import market for USA and having a 24 per cent share of the USA’s total apparel import, posted 27.29 per cent growth during this period, he said. During this period USA's import from Vietnam has grown by 12.73, per cent, reports UNB. Countries which have seen significant growth are - Pakistan 59.30 per cent, Honduras 47.10 per cent, India 35.47 per cent, and Mexico 29.67 per cent.

https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/govt-build-world-class-shipyard-near-payra-port-tk14000cr-361777 TBS Report 24 January, 2022, 05:50 pm Last modified: 24 January, 2022, 08:12 pm Govt to build world class shipyard near Payra port for Tk14,000cr It will be the costliest FDI project in Bangladesh after implementation The government plans to build a world class shipyard near Payra seaport in Patuakhali costing around Tk14,000 crore. Singapore and Australia-based company Gentium Solutions and Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group are willing to finance the Tk14,000 crore foreign direct investment (FDI) project, reads a press release from the Industries Ministry. It will be the costliest FDI project in Bangladesh after implementation. Gentium Solutions and Damen Shipyards Group representatives presented the project proposal at a meeting with Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at his office on Monday (24 January). Gentium Solutions Advisor Md Kaikobad Hossain, Damen Group Senior Director (Naval Projects) Eef van den Broek, and Damen Group Asia Pacific Regional Sales Director Rabien Bahadoer were present at the meeting. Meanwhile, they handed over the feasibility study report of the project to the industries minister. "Once the proposed project is finalised, the Ministry of Industries or Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation (BSEC) will procure land in the area adjacent to Payra Port," said Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun. He added that the government will extend all possible cooperation in setting up a world-class shipbuilding factory. Among others, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana, Gentium Additional Adviser (Retd) Dr Saidur Rahman Selim, Gentium Technical Chief Brigadier General (Retd) Arif Ahmed Chowdhury, Industries Ministry Additional Secretary Faizul Amin and officials concerned were present.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/bangladesh-russias-major-trading-partner-south-asia-spokeswoman-361798#.Ye6eZgJdiro.facebook UNB 24 January, 2022, 06:30 pm Last modified: 24 January, 2022, 06:34 pm Bangladesh Russia’s major trading partner in South Asia: Spokeswoman Moscow greets Dhaka marking 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations Bangladesh is Russia's major trading partner in South Asia with the bilateral trade exceeding $2.5 billion a year, says Spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation. "Congratulations to our Bangladeshi friends on this milestone anniversary of our relations," said Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. 25 January will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Bangladesh. Major economic projects are underway, including the construction of Rooppur, Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant, Maria said. The mechanism of the Intergovernmental Russian-Bangladesh Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, established in 2017, functions well, she said. Its latest meeting was held on 15 December, 2021. "Our countries have long been bound by friendly ties, the foundation of which was laid back in 1972, when the USSR supported the national liberation struggle of the people of Bangladesh and was among the first countries to recognise the independence of the new state," Maria said. Bangladeshis remember the feat of Soviet military sailors, who cleared the waters of the port of Chittagong from mines and sunken ships in 1972-1974, she said. "Today, our countries maintain an active political dialogue, which is built on the principles of equality and mutual respect," said the Spokeswoman.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/india-help-build-high-tech-parks-12-districts-bangladesh-palak-361591 TBS Report 24 January, 2022, 01:20 pm Last modified: 24 January, 2022, 02:30 pm India to help build high-tech parks in 12 districts of Bangladesh: Palak India is all set to assist in building high-tech parks and skilled manpower in 12 districts of Bangladesh, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said today. The state minister made the revelation during a meeting of the Bangladesh High-tech park authority with the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami on Monday. The Indian high commissioner, meanwhile, expressed conviction to work together in various sectors, including the ICT sector, which he hopes will bolster the historic tie shared by the two countries, reads a press release. According to the ICT minister, the neighbouring country will be providing loans for building the high-tech parks, eight of which will go into construction by February 2022. "Under another project, titled Bangladesh-India Digital Service and Employment Training Centre (BDSET), six software technology parks, high-tech parks and a world-class lab at the Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre will be built," he said. Palak continued that around 2,400 people will be trained in these centres in the next two years and 30 youths will be sent to India for ICT training. "Another project is in the process of being finalised under which digital edutainment centres will be built in 64 districts of the country," added the state minister. Earlier today, Zunaid Ahmed Palak welcomed the Indian high commissioner at the ICT Tower in the capital's Agargaon, reads a press release.

https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/sweden-to-seek-bds-approval-for-human-trial-of-nasal-covid-jab-1642960415 Sweden to seek BD's approval for human trial of nasal Covid jab FE REPORT | January 24, 2022 00:00:00 https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1642960415.jpg Sweden's Karolinska Institute is set to seek ethical clearance of Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) to start human trial of its developed nasal Covid-19 vaccine here. The ISR has already assigned Bangladesh Clinical Trials Ltd as its contract research organisation. The two organisations also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier to this effect. Dr Ahmedul Kabir, principal of Mugda Medical College, and Dr ABM Abdullah, a former dean of the medicine faculty at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, will work as principal investigators if the trial gets approved. They are working on the protocol of the clinical trial. "We're in the final stage. We'll soon submit their protocols seeking ethical clearance from the BMRC," medicine expert Dr ABM Abdullah said. After getting the approval, he said, they would start trial run of the nasal vaccine here. "We want to start first phase of the clinical trial first. If it is successful, we'll start phase-2 and phase-3 trails together," he said. He also informed that they would administer two doses of the vaccine in a break of four weeks. Dr Ahmedul Kabir said a nasal spray device is used to dry up the entire proteins. "The good part in the system is you don't need to keep it in refrigerator. Even people can administer the antidote by themselves. They don't need to come to the vaccination point," he said. A total of 90 volunteers will take part in the trial run of the first phase of the nasal vaccine. Currently, the Covid-19 vaccines being used across the world are injected into the muscles of the recipients, but concern has grown over their efficacies to prevent infection with new variants amid a lack of doses while vaccines that target the mucous membranes are not new. There are many oral vaccines that are approved to combat infections such as polio and cholera. In a July 21 article, Karolinska Institute immunologist and T cell researcher Marcus Buggert said when infections take place in the mucosal surfaces of the nasal cavity and the T cells, the immune system is primed. [email protected]

https://www.tbsnews.net/tech/bangladesh-set-edtech-revolution-360985 Mahfuz Ullah Babu 23 January, 2022, 02:00 pm Last modified: 23 January, 2022, 04:18 pm Bangladesh set for an EdTech revolution The potential of education technology (EdTech) in the country is already attracting international investors Bangladesh is poised for a revolution in education technology in the coming years as some start-ups are offering value propositions that address problems related to the affordability of quality education, said industry people. The potential of education technology (EdTech) in the country is already attracting international investors. In China, more than half of the students have opted for the complete academic solutions offered by EdTech start-ups, which is over one-third in India. It is still around 1% and there is every single reason for significant growth in Bangladesh, said Ayman Sadiq, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of 10 Minute School, the largest online education platform in the country which has recently raised $2 million in foreign funding. Unlike most peer countries, the use of technology in education was more an additional adoption by enthusiasts in Bangladesh, than a factor to completely rely on until Covid-19 outbreaks. The government's Shikkhok Batayon, a video platform for public school teachers to share their academic content, has been doing its job for the teachers and students since 2013. Also, education content creators such as Ayman Sadiq and Munzereen Shahid had their wide reach among internet-using learners over the recent years. Thanks to free online platforms such as YouTube and Facebook that helped the educators avert the platform costs. After the country opted for a long closure of classrooms in March 2020, teachers and students went online for classes and exams that saved academic years for several millions of students. In the meantime, some EdTech start-ups reenergised their ventures to address even bigger problems in the country's education system – the quality of education and its accessibility. "The best part of what we are doing is, students, especially SSC, HSC candidates and university admission seekers, will need not to rush to expensive urban areas for quality education," said Shahir Chowdhury, co-founder and CEO at Shikho. His start-up is offering complete academic solutions such as academic content, interactive online classes for class 6-12 students under national textbooks curriculum, alongside programmes for competitive exam preparations and skills development. "An entry-level smartphone with a decent internet connection enables you to opt for everything you need to thrive academically, regardless of where you are from," he said. The EdTech start-up founded in April 2019 has received $1.3 million from US venture capital investors Anchorless Bangladesh and Learn Capital to make the total investment $1.6 million. It is investing in its technology and content alongside expanding its team of 280 where Shahir, a former non-resident Bangladeshi banker, is leading the overall business, and his partner Zeeshan Zakaria, an overseas educator, is leading academic activities. In November 2021, the firm acquired a popular professional courses platform Bohubrihi, the founder of which is leading Shikho's skill development programmes. Also, it bought "Mainly Coding" this month, a platform that focuses on the practical aspects of learning how to code. "We just need to communicate the advantage of our online quality education in Bengali with the masses," Shahir told The Business Standard. The 10 Minute School, co-founded by Ayman Sadiq in 2015, onboarding 9 million new learners in 2021 alone, received $2 million from a top venture capital investor, Sequoia Capital's rapid scale-up programme Surge, this month. The start-up is heavily investing in its platform, contents and brains not only to retain its market leadership but also to thrive towards the upcoming education technology revolution Bangladesh is set to see in the next couple of years, Ayman Sadiq told TBS. Securing 12 times business growth in 2021, 10 Minute School got 3.2 million app users, while the total number of its online learners is more than three times bigger. He prefers to call it a revolution as the majority of the users are rural learners. Shikho's paid user-base has been growing at a monthly average rate of 140pc since it began offering the courses in November. Co-founders of both 10 Minute School and Shikho said they are charging 75%-80% less for their academic courses than the traditional tuition by coaching centres and tutors has been costing. Tk20,000-25,000 a year is enough for an online student of SSC, HSC for everything they need. The 10 Minute School is serving students from classes 1-12 alongside its test preparation and skill development courses. The platform got 5% of its users to subscribe for paid content and classes and the rate would be enough to help its financial sustainability if the expected revolution takes place, Sadiq said. Bangladesh has done tremendously well in primary education and girls' enrolment that helped it beat regional peers achieving millennium development goals, now it needs to achieve the SDG-4, access to quality education, Shahir said. EdTech will be the revolution as it needs more investment in technology, getting only the best teachers and content creators for hundreds of thousands of students bypassing the conventional crying need for a better teacher-student ratio across the country, he said. Bangladesh having 43 million students amid a gap in access to quality education is clearly one of the top five grounds for an education technology revolution, said Sadiq. The market for academic solutions by the EdTech industry is estimated to grow to a billion dollars by 2025 from its current base of a few million dollars, said Sadiq. He expects, by this time, one or more EdTech start-ups will grow to unicorn status – a billion-dollar company – after already a one emerging from fintech and probably one or more from e-commerce and logistics sectors. Ostad, Esho Shikhi, Shikhbe Shobai, Sohopathi, Thrive, Upskill, EduHive are some other local education start-ups having their various focus areas.

https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/last-page/work-on-another-meghna-bridge-due-this-year-1642871623 Work on another Meghna bridge due this year FE REPORT | January 23, 2022 00:00:00 The construction of another Meghna bridge through Bhulta-Araihazar-Bancharampur is expected to start this year under the government-to-government (G2G) public-private partnership (PPP) model. Bangladesh pairs up with South Korea to do the job. The feasibility study on the proposed bridge having a length of around 2.75 km ends next month. The information was shared after a visit of a delegation comprising the PPP Authority (PPPA), Korean embassy, Bangladesh Bridges Authority and Korean private investors to the project site. Local government officials and political leaders also joined them during a ferry trip from Narayanganj's Bishnandi to the other side of the river in Brahmanbaria. The delegation included PPPA secretary and CEO Sultana Afroz, Korean ambassador Lee Jang-Keun and representatives of Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation, and Korean investors, including Daewoo. AB Tajul Islam, a member of parliament from the Brahmanbaria-06 constituency, received them. The envoy says the commencement of the construction of the new bridge by the Korean Consortium will coincide with 50 years of the Bangladesh-Korea diplomatic ties. Ms Afroz says the PPPA and the bridges division are working hard to expedite the implementation of the project. The initial work is progressing fast. She believes this bridge is another step towards achieving a developed country as envisioned by Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Lawmaker Mr Islam highlights that the project will establish a direct road link with Dhaka, reduce traffic jam on highways and improve lives of people in the surrounding areas. [email protected]

https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/rmg/bangladesh-apparel-less-competitive-vietnams-360952#.Yew_QP_ACv8.facebook Reyad Hossain 22 January, 2022, 11:10 pm Last modified: 22 January, 2022, 11:30 pm Bangladesh apparel less competitive than Vietnam’s Vietnam's fashion industry on the ten leading indices logs at least one score ahead of Bangladesh, while the gaps are 1.5 and 2 respectively on sustainability and political stability In terms of product quality, lead time, and sustainability, Bangladesh's clothing sector is not as good as its neck and neck market peer Vietnam, according to a recent World Trade Organisation (WTO) competitiveness report, as Dhaka scores remarkably low than Hanoi on ten indices out of a total of twelve. Lead time of apparel exports is the period between the placement of an order and delivery of the finished product. Vietnam is better able in sourcing raw materials, according to the report, and also can release the imported consignment at its ports within 24 hours. In contrast, Bangladesh takes 48 hours to one month to release raw material imports for the apparel industry, said local garment factory owners. They said Vietnamese workers are 10%-15% more efficient in manufacturing, while the country can deliver the final product to European buyers 10-15 days earlier than Bangladesh. "Transportations from and to Chattogram port eats up a major portion of our delivery deadline. Vietnam certainly is well ahead of us in overall logistic support," Shovon Islam, managing director at Bangladeshi garment manufacturer Sparrow Group, told The Business Standard. Then comes the shipment time. Vietnam directly sends the products to the buyers from its seaports, but Bangladesh cannot. Due to the unavailability of a deep-sea port, feeder vessels have to take the products to countries such as Singapore and Sri Lanka, where the products are transferred to mother vessels for shipment to Europe and the USA. "Lead time is very crucial in the current competitive market," said Fazlul Hoque, a former president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), adding Bangladesh lags in port and customs management. With around $29 billion apparel export, Vietnam surpassed Bangladesh to become the second largest readymade garment exporter after China in the global market in 2020. According to unofficial data, Bangladesh regained the second position by earning $1.94 billion more than Vietnam in the first seven months of 2021. Other major gauges of the recent WTO report – prepared after surveying at least 150 exporters and 30 global brands and retailers – are ability to create value added products, innovation, efficiency, flexibility of order quantity, financial stability and political stability. Vietnam's fashion industry on the ten leading indices logs at least one score ahead of Bangladesh, while the gaps are 1.5 and 2 respectively on sustainability and political stability, shows the report. The report was prepared with data contributed by several UN agencies including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Only on two indicators – price and tariff advantage, Bangladesh is ahead of Vietnam and China thanks to duty-free access to key global markets and local cheap labour. The country is little ahead in some indicators than three other least developed countries in Asia including Cambodia, Laos and Nepal. Sparrow Group's Shovon Islam said any hiccup in the supply chain would ultimately affect efficiency. "If a fabric does not arrive at the port on time, if there is a supply chain disruption or if the workforce cannot be utilised properly, the efficiency would get hurt. This is happening to us," he noted. However, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, vice-president at the BKMEA, said he does not agree with all the indicators showing Bangladesh apparel behind Vietnam. "None is supposed to be ahead of us in terms of flexibility of order quantity. We accept orders so flexibly that buyers can take several thousand pieces to only a few hundred pieces from us," he claimed. The BKMEA vice-president also defended the quality of made-in-Bangladesh products by saying, "We manufacture products as buyers want. Since Bangladesh is capable of satisfying the brands with the quality, the country is getting increasing work orders." Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, however, agreed that Bangladesh has a lot to improve in terms of higher value addition. Like the BKMEA vice-president, Faruque Hassan, president at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), too said the report in some cases surprisingly underrated the progress made by Bangladesh garment industry over the past decade. "The report mentions environmental compliance related risks as a downside for sourcing from Bangladesh, while the industry has made a huge stride to transform workplace safety, workers' wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The rating seems to be inappropriate," he noted. Vietnam's FDI and FTA upper-hand Noted economist Dr Abdur Razzaque, who wrote the report, said Vietnam and Cambodia have strong presence of foreign direct investment (FDI) in their apparel sectors that help them establish improved standards and bargaining power. "More importantly, while Bangladesh is likely to lose preferential treatment in the EU apparel market, already developing Vietnam will be able to secure duty-free access in that market because of an FTA [free trade agreement]," Dr Razzaque told The Business Standard. Bangladesh will no longer be entitled for duty-free market access after 2029, as the country will graduate from least developed country club in 2026 and its export will enjoy facility extension for another three years until 2029. For an uninterrupted market access, Dhaka then would be requiring preferential trade agreement and free trade agreement (FTA) with countries and trade blocs. But Bangladesh so far has the lone bi-lateral preferential trade agreement with neighbouring Bhutan. Dr Razzaque said, "Many buyers consider duty-free status as a critical determinant of sourcing decisions. Although entire sourcing will certainly not be concentrated in Vietnam, but with the loss of tariff advantages, Bangladesh will come under intense competitive pressure from such market peers such as India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka." According to the report, Bangladesh may concede a loss of $5.37 billion due to the impact of LDC graduation on export. Still there will be orders The WTO report says fashion brands and retailers adopt diverse sourcing considerations, including cost, speed to market, flexibility, agility and compliance risks. With China and Vietnam as critical sourcing bases, fashion brands mostly see the least developed countries Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Nepal as part of their diverse sourcing locations. According to the report, Turkey is another major sourcing destination for European Union-based fashion companies, while EU-based buyers source fewer complex products (such as dresses and outerwear) from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Nepal due to their limited production capacities. The report mentions, fashion brands and retailers may still find it attractive to source from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Nepal after their LDC graduation. Major brands and retailers believe LDC graduation may only modestly affect their sourcing. It also said that in the next three to five years, they will increase their sourcing from Bangladesh and Cambodia. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said Bangladesh's graduation to a developing country will definitely cause some significant changes that need collaborative and joint effort to overcome. Md Fazlul Hoque, former BKMEA president, said, "Bangladesh is working on the issues mentioned in the report, but it needs to be speeded up. We need to focus on FTAs and PTAs." "Despite not being covered by the GSP [Generalised System of Preferences] facility, we are still ahead of China and Vietnam in terms of export growths in the US market," he added. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told The Business Standard that Bangladesh will try to avail the duty-free export facility until 2031 – five years after the LDC graduation. "Besides, we are looking for PTA and FTA agreements with several countries this year," the minister commented.

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/huntsman-corp-set-to-invest-20m-in-bangladesh-economic-zone-1642821561 Huntsman Corp set to invest $20m in Bangladesh economic zone SAIF UDDIN | Published: January 22, 2022 09:19:21 https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/uploads/1642821561.jpg A US-based multinational Huntsman Corporation is set to invest $20 million in an industrial unit at a private economic zone (EZ) in Bangladesh, people familiar with the development say. It will establish a dye and chemical manufacturing plant on five acres of land at Abdul Monem Economic Zone in Munshiganj. The development will help the local apparel sector procure quality raw materials at affordable rates, the insiders add. According to data available with the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Huntsman is making the investment in phases. The industrial unit will generate employment for an estimated 900 people at the zone that accommodates world-renowned brands like Honda. The economic zone is situated 37 kilometres east off Dhaka city adjacent to Dhaka-Chattogram highway near Meghna-Gumti Bridge. A BEZA official says Huntsman is a well-known chemical supplier in the textile sector in Bangladesh. The facility is set to begin its operations this June. It will produce different types of chemicals, mostly imported from China, India and Europe, used in the textile industry, he says. "The investment being made by a globally-renowned company is the testament to the country's [conducive] investment climate, thanks to different measures taken by the government." The official further says that a number of multinational companies have established industrial units at state-owned as well as privately-run EZs. Currently, there are eight private EZs, including Abdul Monem EZ, Bay EZ, City EZ, Meghna EZ, Karnaphuli Dry Doc Special EZ and Kishoreganj EZ. [email protected]

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/fast-track-projects-not-so-fast-360388 Saifuddin Saif 21 January, 2022, 03:00 pm Last modified: 21 January, 2022, 03:01 pm Fast-track projects not so fast Official data show some Tk38,527 crore has been allocated for eight fast-track projects, excluding Rampal Power Plant or Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant, for the current 2021-22 financial year, of which 31.62% or Tk12,180 crore was spent in the first six months of the year The government has included a number of priority development projects – aimed at accelerating the country's economic growth – in the list of fast-track ones for the convenience of supervision to make sure they are implemented on time. However, these projects have been maintaining a trend of slow implementation since their inception at different times. In spite of various measures, including direct supervision by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), strengthened monitoring, and regular review of the progress of work, the authorities have been failing to spend the full allocations on these projects year after year, thus prolonging the nation's period of waiting in expectation of reaping their anticipated benefits. Because of the delay in implementation, some of the projects have already experienced cost escalations and gone through deadline extensions. Official data show some Tk38,527 crore has been allocated for eight fast-track projects, excluding Rampal Power Plant or Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant, for the current 2021-22 financial year, of which 31.62% or Tk12,180 crore was spent in the first six months of the year. According to the updated report of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), the river training work for the Padma Bridge project, construction work on the infrastructure of Rooppur nuclear power project, construction of Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line, and construction work on the Metro Rail project in Dhaka did not go as expected during the first half of the current fiscal year. The Padma Rail Link project, though, has been an exception as the progress of its construction work was a bit more than the target set for the July-December period of this fiscal. The ERD report says that the Covid-19 pandemic following its outbreak in early 2020 slowed down the pace of the fast-track projects and its effects are still there. The Covid situation has caused problems for foreign consultants and experts regarding their coming to the project sites. For the same reason, import of project materials from abroad has been delayed. Meanwhile, the fast spreading Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has emerged as a new threat to the timely implementation of the fast-track projects, the report adds. ERD officials have identified several more reasons behind the slow progress of the fast-track projects. According to them, a failure to hire consultants and contractors on time, delay in land acquisition, inadequate feasibility studies, errors in designs and a lack of implementation capacity make it impossible to achieve the targeted progress on these projects. Nonetheless, the government has announced that the Padma Bridge will be opened for traffic this June. It has also announced that trains will begin carrying passengers on the Uttara-Agargaon route (MRT-6) of the Metro Rail project from December this year. But considering that the money cannot be spent, the implementing agencies have proposed reducing the allocations for these two projects in the revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) for the current financial year. On the other hand, an additional allocation has been sought for the project related to a laying of railway tracks from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar via Ghundum, despite the fact that the authorities have thus far failed to spend the allocation as per target set for the current financial year. The Bangladesh Railway has also sought an additional allocation in the revised ADP for the Padma Rail Link project as the implementation work has gained pace. Shamsul Alam, State Minister for Planning, told The Business Standard that the government's priority fast-track projects are being monitored by all quarters of the government, but these projects are failing to make progress as specified in the work plan owing mainly to the Covid situation. In his reaction to such issues, Shamsul Haque, a communications expert and professor at Buet, however, said, "People associated with projects in our country seriously lack skills. As a result, when a contractor sees that the project director or other people involved in the project are not so experienced, they try to prolong the construction work in many ways." He mentioned that Pakistan and Indonesia had already completed the infrastructure for bus rapid transit (BRT) and metro rail even though they started the projects after Bangladesh. Covid has made inroads all over the world, he said, adding, "As a result, Covid cannot be an excuse for slow implementation of development projects." The noted communication expert went on to say that designs for development projects in Bangladesh are made informally. "When the work starts at the field level, a lot of changes have to be made in the designs. As a result, construction work cannot be done as per the work plan." Fast-track projects also suffer from this problem, he concluded.

https://www.tbsnews.net/tech/smartphones/symphony-export-made-bangladesh-smartphones-nepal-360760 TBS Report 22 January, 2022, 02:55 pm Last modified: 22 January, 2022, 05:17 pm Symphony to export ‘Made in Bangladesh’ smartphones to Nepal Symphony has become the second local brand to export 'Made in Bangladesh' smartphones. Reportedly, the first consignment of the mobile handset brand will be shipped to Nepal on Sunday. Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar inaugurated the Symphony mobile export at an event held on Saturday at the Symphony factory in the capital's Ashulia. "We are planning to take our handsets to the smartphone market of five more countries including Vietnam, Sri Lanka and the Maldives by 2022," said Jakaria Shahid, managing director of Edison Group, the parent company of Symphony. Earlier, local tech conglomerate Walton exported their first consignment of smartphones to the USA on 1 March 2020 from their Gazipur plant, setting a milestone for the country.

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https://www.tbsnews.net/bangla/অর্থনীতি/news-details-80584#.YemoQkHzDQ4.facebook শওকত আলী 21 January, 2022, 12:20 am Last modified: 21 January, 2022, 12:21 am ধান থেকে মুরগি ও অন্যান্য অনেককিছুতেই দেশের কৃষি খাতে বিপ্লব এনেছে বিজ্ঞান গত কয়েক দশকে দেশের কৃষি খাতে এসেছে অভাবনীয় পরিবর্তন। এই কৃষি বিপ্লবের পেছনে রয়েছে গবেষণা। ১৯৭১ সালের আগে নওগাঁর কৃষক মোকাব্বর আলী প্রতি বিঘা জমি থেকে পেতেন ৪-৬ মণ (প্রতি মণে প্রায় ৩৭ কেজি) ধান। দেশ স্বাধীন হওয়ার পর থেকে দেশের প্রত্যন্ত অঞ্চলগুলোতে বিভিন্ন জাতের হাইব্রিড ধান পৌঁছে যাওয়ায় বিঘাপ্রতি ধানের ফলন ধীরে ধীরে বাড়তে থাকে। ২০১৫ সালে বাংলাদেশ কৃষি গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউটের (বারি) উদ্ভাবিত বীজ পান মোকাব্বর। সেই বীজ ব্যবহার করে তিনি প্রতি বিঘা জমিতে প্রায় ২৮ মণ ধানের ফলন পান। ৭০ বছর বয়সি এই কৃষক বলেন, 'সরকারি বীজ একেবারেই অন্যরকম।' গত অর্ধশতকে চাষবাসের চেহারা পাল্টে দেওয়া কৃষি-জাদুর ব্যাপারে এই বর্ষীয়ান কৃষক কিছুই জানেন না। এই কৃষি-জাদুর মধ্যে রয়েছে উচ্চ ফলনশীল ফসলের জাত এবং দক্ষ চাষাবাদের যন্ত্রপাতি আবিষ্কার। এর ফলে মোকাব্বরের মতো কৃষকরা ৫০ বছর আগে যে পরিমাণ ধান ফলাতেন, এখন ফলাতে পারেন তারচেয়ে চারগুণ বেশি ধান। ১৯৭৩ সালে আন্তর্জাতিক সম্প্রদায় পূর্বাভাস দিয়েছিল বাংলাদেশ হচ্ছে একটি 'গন কেস'—অর্থাৎ বাংলাদেশ মাথা তুলে দাঁড়াতে পারবে না। এ পূর্বাভাসের সমুচিত জবাব হয়ে এসেছে এই চারগুণ ধান উৎপাদন। স্বাধীন বাংলাদেশের বয়স যখন মাত্র দুই বছর, তখন বাংলাদেশ ধান গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউট (ব্রি) বিআর-৩ নামের একটি ধানের জাত উদ্ভাবন করে। জাতটি খুব অল্প সময়ে সারা দেশে ছড়িয়ে পড়ে এবং আউশ, আমন ও বোরো তিনটি মৌসুমেই একই জাতের ধান চাষ হয়। যে কারণে এটি বিআর-বিপ্লব হিসেবে পরিচিত পায়। গবেষকরা বলছেন, শুরুতে বিআর-৩-এর মাধ্যমে ১৯৭৩-পরবর্তী সময়ে ধানের উৎপাদন ১ কোটি টন থেকে প্রায় ১ কোটি ৪০ লাখ টনে উন্নীত হয়। এরপর ১৯৮০ সালে ব্রি-১১ নামের আরেকটি জাত উদ্ভাবন করে ব্রি। আশির দশকে এই জাতটি ধীরে ধীরে বিআর-৩-এর জায়গা নেয়। এরপর নব্বইয়ের দশকের মাঝামাঝিতে আসে বিআর-২৮ ও ২৯, যা বোরো মৌসুমের ইরি ধান হিসেবে পরিচিত। এ দুটি জাত বাংলাদেশের প্রত্যন্ত অঞ্চলে ধান উৎপাদনে আরও বৈপ্লবিক পরিবর্তন আনে। ব্রি-র মহাপরিচালক ড. মো. শাহজাহান কবীর জানান, দেশে এখন উচ্চ ফলনশীল ধানের জাত ২০০-র বেশি। সর্বশেষ ২০২০-২১ অর্থবছরে ধান উৎপাদন হয়েছে ৩ কোটি ৮০ লাখ টন। শুরুতে কৃষি গবেষণা কেবল ধান উৎপাদনের মধ্যে সীমাবদ্ধ থাকলেও বিজ্ঞান ও গবেষণা ধীরে ধীরে মৎস্য, পোল্ট্রি, দুগ্ধ ও গবাদিপশুর মধ্যে ঢুকে পড়েছে। স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে এখন পর্যন্ত বাংলাদেশে ফসল, মাছ ও গবাদিপশুর মোট ১ হাজার ১৬০টি নতুন জাত উদ্ভাবন করা হয়েছে। ধানের উৎপাদনে বিআর-৩, বিআর-১১, মাছের উৎপাদন বৃদ্ধিতে তেলাপিয়া ও পাঙ্গাস, মাংস ও ডিমের জোগান বৃদ্ধিতে পোল্ট্রি ও সোনালি মুরগি গেইম চেঞ্জারের ভুমিকা রেখেছে। এই সবগুলো জাতই বাংলাদেশের নিজস্ব গবেষণার ফসল। বাংলাদেশ কৃষি গবেষণা কাউন্সিল (বিএআরসি) কর্তৃক প্রকাশিত '১০০ ইয়ারস অভ এগ্রিকালচারাল ডেভেলপমেন্ট ইন বাংলাদেশ' বই থেকে জানা যায়, বর্তমানে গবাদিপশু, মৎস্য ও ফসল খাতে জন্য সরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠান তৈরি হয়েছে ১৩টি। ১৯৭০ সালে ধান গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউটের জন্ম হয় তৎকালীন পূর্ব পাকিস্তানে। স্বাধীনতার পর এটিকে বাংলাদেশ ধান গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউট হিসেবে নামকরণ করা হয়। প্রতিষ্ঠানটি ধানের উৎপাদন ও জাত উন্নয়নে কাজ করছে। ব্রি উদ্ভাবিত ধানের জাতগুলো এখন নানা বৈশিষ্ট্যের। কোনোটা রোগ প্রতিরোধী, কোনোটা আবার লবণাক্ততা সহনশীল। এছাড়া বন্যা, খরা, ঠান্ডা, অঞ্চলভিত্তিক বৈশিষ্ট্য, জিঙ্ক সমৃদ্ধ, উচ্চ ফলনশীল নানা ধরনের জাত উদ্ভাবন করেছে প্রতিষ্ঠানটি। ধানের জাত উদ্ভাবনের পাশাপাশি ফসলের প্রযুক্তি উদ্ভাবন নিয়েও কাজ গবেষণা করছে বাংলাদেশ পরমাণু গবেষণা কেন্দ্র (বিনা)। ধান ছাড়াও মরিচ, ডাল, গম, রসুন, পেঁয়াজ, টমেটোসহ বিভিন্ন ফসলের রোগ প্রতিরোধী জাত উদ্ভাবন, জীবনকাল কমিয়ে আনা, ফসল সংগ্রহ-পরবর্তী লোকসান কমিয়ে আনা, উৎপাদিত পণ্যের শেলফ-লাইফ বৃদ্ধিসহ নানা কাজ করছে প্রতিষ্ঠানটি। বিনার মহাপরিচালক ডমির্জা মোফাজ্জল ইসলাম বলেন, 'জাত উদ্ভাবনের পাশাপাশি আমরা কৃষি প্রযুক্তির উন্নয়নে প্রতিনিয়তই গবেষণা করছি। যার প্রভাবে কৃষি উৎপাদন প্রতিনিয়তই বৃদ্ধি পাচ্ছে।' এদিকে সবজিসহ আলু ও ডালজাতীয় বেশকিছু পণ্যের জাত উদ্ভাবনে কাজ করছে বারি। প্রতিষ্ঠানটি গম, ভুট্টা, বেগুন, আলু সহ বেশকিছু ফসলের জাত উদ্ভাবন করছে। উচ্চফলনশীলতার পাশাপাশি জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের প্রভাব মাথায় রেখে প্রতিষ্ঠানটি জাত উদ্ভাবনে গুরুত্ব দিচ্ছে। আলুর জাত উদ্ভাবনে সবচেয়ে বেশি গুরুত্ব দেয় বারি। বারি-উদ্ভাবিত উন্নত জাতের কারণেই এখন আলুর উৎপাদন এক কোটি টনের কাছাকাছি। গমের নানা জাত উদ্ভাবন হলেও পরিবেশগত কারণেই এর উৎপাদন খুব বেশি বাড়ানো সম্ভব হয়নি। তবে ভুট্টা উৎপাদনে বাংলাদেশে ব্যাপক সাফল্য পেয়েছে। উৎপাদনের শুরুটা গমের পরে হলেও ভুট্টার উৎপাদন এখন ৬০ লাখ টনের আশেপাশে। বারির মহাপরিচালক ড. দেবাশীস সরকার বলেন, 'গবেষণার কারণেই কৃষি খাতের চিত্র পাল্টে গেছে। কারণ গবেষণার মাধ্যমে উন্নত জাত ও প্রযুক্তিগুলো স্থানীয় পর্যায়ে উৎপাদনে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে।' তিনি বলেন, তাদের বর্তমানের গবেষণাগুলো করতে হচ্ছে জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের প্রভাব মাথায় নিয়ে। সবজির জাত উদ্ভাবন ও গবেষণায় সরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠানের চেয়ে বেশি সাফল্য দেখিয়েছে বেশকিছু বেসরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠান। লাল তীর, এসিআই, সুপ্রিম সীড, ব্র্যাকসহ অনেক প্রতিষ্ঠানের দখলে এখন সবজির বীজের ব্যবসা। এ পর্যায়টি তৈরি হয়েছে প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর নিজস্ব গবেষণার কারণে। প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো সবজির পাশাপাশি ধানের হাইব্রীড বীজের জাতও উদ্ভাবন করছে। মৎস্য বিপ্লবের নেতৃত্বে তেলাপিয়া ও পাঙ্গাস স্বাধীনতার পর সময়ে থাইল্যান্ড থেকে বাংলাদেশে নাইলোটিকা নামের তেলাপিয়ার একটি জাত নিয়ে আসেন গবেষকরা। পরীক্ষামূলক চাষাবাদ ও গবেষণার মাধ্যমে এর বাণিজ্যিক উৎপাদন শুরু হয় আশির দশকে। দ্রুত বর্ধনশীল ও লাভজনক হওয়ায় সারা দেশে ছড়িয়ে পড়ে এ মাছের চাষ দ্রুত। বর্তমানে দেশে প্রতি বছর প্রায় ৪ লাখ টন তেলাপিয়া মাছ উৎপাদন হয়। গবেষকদের তথ্যানুসারে, তেলাপিয়ার যে জাতটি এখন চাষ হচ্ছে সেটি ১৩তম প্রজন্ম, যা গবেষণার মাধ্যমে উদ্ভাবন করা হয়েছে। এই প্রজন্মের তেলাপিয়া যারা চাষ করছেন তারা প্রথম জাতের তুলনায় ৬৩ শতাংশ বেশি উৎপাদন পাচ্ছেন। বাজারে এক-দেড় কেজি ওজনের যেসব তেলাপিয়া কিনতে পাওয়া সেটাও বিজ্ঞানীদের গবেষণার ফল। জাতিসংঘের কৃষি ও খাদ্য সংস্থার তথ্য বলছে, বিশ্বের মধ্যে তেলাপিয়া উৎপাদনে বাংলাদেশ এখন চতুর্থ অবস্থানে রয়েছে। থাইল্যান্ড থেকে আরও একটি মাছ নিয়ে আসা হয় নব্বইয়ের দশকের শুরুতে, যেটি পাঙ্গাস নামে পরিচিত। স্থানীয় আবহাওয়া-উপযোগী করে পাঙ্গাসের জাত উন্নয়ন ও উদ্ভাবন করে স্থানীয়ভাবে চাষাবাদ শুরু হয়। নব্বইয়ের শুরু শেষ দিকে পাঙ্গাসেরও ব্যাপক বাণিজ্যিক চাষাবাদ শুরু হয়। এখন বাজারে সাধারণ মানুষের মাছ হিসেবে তেলাপিয়া ও পাঙ্গাস দুটি বেশ জনপ্রিয়। এছাড়াও গবেষকরা গবেষণাগারে অনেকগুলো ছোট মাছের জাত উদ্ভাবন করেছেন বাণিজ্যিক উৎপাদনের জন্য। ২০০৮-০৯ সালে ছোট মাছের উৎপাদন ছিল ৬৭ হাজার টন, যা এখন আড়াই লাখ টনে পৌঁছেছে। উন্নত জাত উদ্ভাবিত হওয়ায় পাবদা, কৈ, শিং, টেংরাসহ বিভিন্ন মাছের উৎপাদন বেড়েছে। বাংলাদেশ মৎস্য গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউট (বিএফআরআই)-এর মহাপরিচালক ও বিজ্ঞানী ড. ইয়াহিয়া মাহমুদ টিবিএসকে বলেন, 'মাছের অ্যাভেইলেবিলিটি নিশ্চিতের পেছনে বাণিজ্যিকভাবে মাছ চাষ ভূমিকা রেখেছে। তেলাপিয়া, পাঙ্গাস ও কৈ মূলত দেশের মাছ চাষকে একটি ভিন্ন মাত্রা দিয়েছে। এটা পুরোটাই আমাদের গবেষণার ফল। ধারাবাহিক গবেষণার ফলেই মাছ চাষে এত বেশি সফলতা এসেছে। বর্তমানে সবমিলে প্রতি বছর মাছ উৎপাদন ৪৫ লাখ টন ছাড়িয়েছে, যা চাহিদার চেয়ে বেশি।' মৎস্য ও প্রাণিসম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয়ের তথ্যানুযায়ী, বাংলাদেশ এখন বদ্ধ জলাশয়ের মাছ আহরণ ও উৎপাদনের দিক থেকে পঞ্চম অবস্থানে রয়েছে। বিএফআরআই ও মৎস্য অধিদপ্তর সূত্রে জানা গেছে, নব্বইয়ের দশকে পোনা উৎপাদনের জন্য হ্যাচারির সংখ্যা ছিল ৬০-৬৭ টি। বর্তমানে এই সংখ্যাটা এসে ঠেকেছে ৯৫০টিতে, যার মধ্যে ৮২০টিই বেসরকারি মালিকানাধীন। এর পেছনে গবেষণার গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অবদান রয়েছে। স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে এখন পর্যন্ত গবেষকরা বিভিন্ন মাছের ৬০টি জাত, প্রজনন ও চাষাবাদের প্রযুক্তি উদ্ভাবন করেছেন। এসব উদ্ভাবন মৎস্য খামার ও হ্যাচারিতে ব্যবহার করা হচ্ছে। গবেষণার জন্য বাংলাদেশ মৎস্য গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউট গঠন করা হয় ১৯৮৪ সালে। একসময় মুক্ত জলাশয়ের উপর নির্ভরশীল বাংলাদেশ এখন বদ্ধ জলাশয়ের চাষের মাছের উপর নির্ভরশীল হয়ে পড়েছে। চাষের মাধ্যমে হারিয়ে যেতে বসা বিভিন্ন প্রকারের ছোট মাছ, কই, শিং, রুই কাতলাসহ বিভিন্ন মাছের জাত উদ্ভাবন করে এই প্রযুক্তিগুলো খামারিদের মধ্যে ছড়িয়ে দেয়া হচ্ছে। ড. ইয়াহিয়া মাহমুদ বলেন, 'মৎস্য খাতে গবেষণায় জোর দেয়ার জন্য গত ৫-৭ বছরে ১০০-র বেশি বিজ্ঞানীর নতুন পদ সৃষ্টি করা হয়েছে এবং নিয়োগ দেয়া হয়েছে।' মাংসের চাহিদা মেটাতে ব্রয়লারের আগমন নিজেদের ক্যাটারিং সার্ভিসের জন্য বিমান বাংলাদেশ এয়ারলাইন্স আশির দশকে দেশে সর্বপ্রথম ব্রয়লার মুরগির বাচ্চা এনে পালন শুরু করে। বাংলাদেশের আবহাওয়ায় এই মুরগি টিকে যাওয়ার পর থেকেই দু-একজন করে বিমানের কাছ থেকে বাচ্চা সংগ্রহ করে এর পালন শুরু করে। তবে সর্বপ্রথম এগস অ্যান্ড হেনস লি. নামের একটি প্রতিষ্ঠান বাণিজ্যিকভাবে পোল্ট্রি উৎপাদন শুরু করে। মাত্র ৪-৬ সপ্তাহে খাওয়ার উপযোগী হওয়ায় এবং উৎপাদন খরচ কম থাকায় ধীরে ধীরে এটি ছড়িয়ে পড়তে থাকে। লাভজনক হওয়ায় ১৯৮৩ সালে ব্র্যাক তাদের রুরাল পোল্ট্রি মডেল প্রকল্পে দরিদ্র কৃষকদের উঠান পর্যায়ে পোল্ট্রি খামার তৈরিতে উৎসাহিত করে। আশির দশকের শেষ ও নম্বইয়ের দশকে পোল্ট্রি উৎপাদন দ্রুত বৃদ্ধি পায়। কর্মসংস্থানের একটি খাত হয়ে উঠে পোল্ট্রি খামার। এ কারণে সরকারও বিভিন্ন নীতিগত সহায়তা এবং বিনিয়োগের পথ তৈরি করে দেয়। ব্রয়লার ছাড়াও প্রাণিসম্পদ অধিদপ্তরের গবেষণার মাধ্যমে দেশে উদ্ভাবিত আরেকটি মুরগির জাত জনপ্রিয় হয়েছে, যা এখন সোনালি নামে পরিচিত। স্বাদ ও দেখতে অনেকটা দেশি মুরগির মতো হওয়ায় সোনালির চাহিদাও দিন দিন বাড়ছে। বর্তমানে বাজারের ৬০ ও ৪০ শতাংশ যথাক্রমে ব্রয়লার ও সোনালির দখলে রয়েছে। আর ডিমের চাহিদার ৮০ শতাংশ জোগান আসছে পোল্ট্রি খাত থেকে। এই খাতে এখন বিনিয়োগের পরিমাণ প্রায় ৩৫ হাজার কোটি টাকা। প্রণিসম্পদ অধিদপ্তরের তথ্য বলছে, গত এক দশকে দেশে মাংসের উৎপাদন তিনগুণেরও বেশি এবং ডিমের উৎপাদন প্রায় তিনগুণ বেড়েছে। কৃত্রিম প্রজননে দুধ, মাংস উৎপাদনে সাফল্য ২০২০-২১ অর্থবছরে মাংস উৎপাদন হয়েছে ৮৪ দশমিক ৮০ লাখ টন, দুধ উৎপাদন হয়েছে ১ কোটি ১৯ লাখ টন। গবেষকরা বলছেন, পরিবেশগত কিছু কারণে দুধে একটু পিছিয়ে থাকলেও মাংস ও ডিমে বাংলাদেশ বেশ এগিয়েছে। পোল্ট্রির বাইরে গরু ও ছগলের কৃত্রিম প্রজননের মাধ্যমে গবাদিপশু খাতের ব্যাপক পরিবর্তন হয়েছে। কৃত্রিম প্রজননের মাধ্যমে বাংলাদেশ এখন উন্নত মানের ষাঁড় উৎপাদন করছে। এ প্রযুক্তির সুবাদে প্রত্যন্ত জেলাগুলোতেও এখন হাজার হাজার গরুর খামার তৈরি হয়েছে। প্রাণিসম্পদ অধিদপ্তর বলছে, মাঝে মাংসের উৎপাদন দ্রুত বৃদ্ধির লক্ষ্যে বিশ্বের সবচেয়ে দ্রুত বড় হওয়া ব্রাহমা জাতের উৎপাদনে গেলেও দুধ কমে যাওয়ার শঙ্কায় সরকার আপাতত এই জাতের কৃত্রিম প্রজনন বন্ধ রেখেছে। যদিও বিশ্বের অনেক দেশই মাংসের জন্য দ্রুত বড় হওয়া জাতের দিকে ঝুঁকছে। তবে দুধের জন্য উন্নত জাতের গাভি পালনেও গুরুত্ব দিচ্ছেন খামারিরা। প্রাণিসম্পদ গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউটের সাবেক মহাপরিচালক ড. নাথুরাম সরকার টিবিএসকে বলেন, কৃত্রিম প্রজনন শুরু হওয়ার পর থেকে এই খাতের আকার ব্যাপকভাবে বেড়েছে। কৃত্রিম প্রজননের মাধ্যমে উদ্ভাবিত জাতগুলো বড় বিনিয়োগ নিয়ে আসছে। অনেক তরুণ উদ্যোক্তাই এখন গবাদিপশু পালনে আসছেন। ড. নাথুরাম সরকার বলেন, প্রাণিসম্পদ গবেষণা ইন্সটিটিউট রোগ নির্ণয়, প্রযুক্তি, উৎপাদন পদ্ধতিসহ নানা বিষয় নিয়ে গবেষণা করে প্রতিনিয়ত এ খাতকে সমর্থন দিয়ে যাচ্ছে। কৃষির চেহারা বদলে দিয়েছে যেসব কৃষি প্রযুক্তি ফেরোমন ফাঁদ হলো এক ধরনের কীটপতঙ্গ নিয়ন্ত্রণের পদ্ধতি। এ পদ্ধতিতে রাসায়নিক কীটনাশক বা কীটনাশক ব্যবহার করা হয় না। তার বদলে এ পদ্ধতিতে জৈবিকভাবে উৎপাদিত রাসায়নিক ফেরোমন ব্যবহার করা হয়। এই রাসায়নিক পোকামাকড়কে আকৃষ্ট করে জৈব পদ্ধতিতে ফসল বাঁচাতে সাহায্য করে। অনেক কৃষকই এখন প্রাকৃতিক উপায়ে কীটপতঙ্গ নিয়ন্ত্রণের উপর বেশি জোর দিয়ে ফসল উৎপাদনে ফেরোমন ব্যবহার করছেন। একসময় কৃষকরা প্যাডেল-সেচ দিয়ে জমিতে পানি দিতেন। এখন তার জায়গা নিয়েছে ডিজেলচালিত মোটর এবং গভীর বৈদ্যুতিক নলকূপ। স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে এখন পর্যন্ত কৃষি খাতে সর্বমোট ১ হাজার ১৬৭টি নতুন প্রযুক্তি উদ্ভাবন করেছেন বিজ্ঞানী ও গবেষকরা। আগে কৃষি খাত ব্যাপকভাবে কায়িক শ্রমের ওপর নির্ভরশীল ছিল। ষাঁড় ও লাঙলের ব্যবহার থেকে কৃষকরা এখন জমি চাষ করার জন্য ট্রাক্টর ব্যবহার করছেন। শারীরিক শ্রমনির্ভর হওয়ায় আগে বীজ বপন থেকে শুরু করে ফসল সংগ্রহ পর্যন্ত অনেক সময় লেগে যেত, সে প্রক্রিয়াও ছিল অত্যন্ত ধীর। এখন কৃষিযন্ত্রের সুবাদে এ খাত হয়েছে গতিশীল। বিভিন্ন বেসরকারি সংস্থা কৃষি যন্ত্র উদ্ভাবন করছে। অন্যদিকে ৩ হাজার ২০ কোটি টাকার খামার যান্ত্রিকীকরণ প্রকল্প বাস্তবায়ন করছে সরকার। ছোট আকারের চাষ এখন বাণিজ্যিক কৃষিতে পরিবর্তিত হয়েছে। অনেক কৃষি উদ্যোক্তাই হাই-ভ্যালু ফসলের দিকে ঝুঁকছে। আরও গবেষক প্রয়োজন উচ্চ ফলনশীল ধানের জাত উদ্ভাবনের ক্ষেত্রে দুই বিশিষ্ট ব্যক্তিত্ব ব্রি-র সাবেক সিনিয়র বৈজ্ঞানিক কর্মকর্তা ড. মো. আবদুস সালাম এবং ব্রি-র সাবেক পরিচালক তমাল লতা আদিত্য। ইরি উদ্ভাবনে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা ছিল আবদুস সালামের। অন্যদিকে 'ধন কন্যা' নামে পরিচিত তমাল লতা আদিত্য একাই উদ্ভাবন করেছেন ১৫টি ধানের জাত। বাংলাদেশ প্রাণিসম্পদ গবেষণা ইনস্টিটিউটের বিজ্ঞানী ড. খান শহীদুল হক দুগ্ধ উন্নয়ন ও গবাদিপশু মোটাতাজাকরণে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অবদান রেখেছেন। পোল্ট্রি খাতের উন্নয়নে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা রেখেছেন ড. ইমদাদুল হক। আর ইলিশ উৎপাদনে অবদান রেখেছেন ডা. আনিসুর রহমান। এছাড়াও আরও কয়েকজন বিশিষ্ট গবেষকদের মধ্যে রয়েছেন বিনার মির্জা মোফাজ্জল ইসলাম ও শামসুন নাহার বেগম, কৃষিবিদ ড. মোহাম্মদ হোসেন মন্ডল এবং বারির কাজী এম বদরুদ্দোজা চৌধুরী, যিনি বিখ্যাত কাজী পেয়ারার জাত উদ্ভাবন করেছিলেন। বিএআরসির তথ্য অনুসারে, বাংলাদেশে বর্তমানে কৃষি গবেষকের সংখ্যা ২ হাজার ৫০০, যা নেপাল ও শ্রীলঙ্কার চেয়ে বেশি কিন্তু ভারত ও পাকিস্তানের তুলনায় অনেক কম। ব্রির মহাপরিচালক মো. শাহজাহান কবীর বলেন, 'কৃষি গবেষণার জন্য অর্থায়ন কোনো সমস্যা নয়, আমাদের শুধু আরও গবেষক দরকার।' কৃষি গবেষণা বাড়াতে পাট গবেষণা ইনস্টিটিউটের অধীনে শুধু ফসলের জন্যই একটি জিনোম সিকোয়েন্সিং কেন্দ্র রয়েছে। ইনস্টিটিউটটি সম্প্রতি একটি পাটের জিনোম ডিকোড করার পরে আলোচনার কেন্দ্রে এসেছিল।

https://www.tbsnews.net/coronavirus-chronicle/covid-19-bangladesh/beximco-pharma-gets-license-oral-anti-covid-drug-359908 TBS Report 20 January, 2022, 02:40 pm Last modified: 20 January, 2022, 06:05 pm Beximco Pharma gets license for oral anti-Covid drug The company is expected to start domestic distribution and export from the end of 2022 Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited has become the first Bangladeshi company to get permission to produce "molnupiravir," an oral drug for the treatment of Covid-19. The United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) granted a sub-license to Beximco Pharma for the local production of the oral drug originally developed by MSD, a trade name of Merck and Co Inc. The partnership with Beximco was announced after the MPP expanded its network of partnered generic manufacturers, said a press release on Thursday. The sub-license agreement is a result of the voluntary licensing agreement signed by the MPP and MSD in October 2021 to facilitate affordable global access for molnupiravir, which MSD is developing in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Under this agreement, MPP may sub-license the production of the drug to global generic drug manufacturers to ensure a steady supply in different regions of the world. Molnupiravir is an oral antiviral to treat symptomatic Covid-19, which received conditional marketing authorisation in the UK from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency on 4 November and received emergency use authorisation in the US from the US Food and Drug Administration on 23 December last year. Beximco Pharma will manufacture molnupiravir in Bangladesh and is expected to start domestic distribution and export from the end of 2022, following successful technology transfer and manufacturing regulatory approvals under the license from MPP. The company will continue to sell its own generic version of molnupiravir (Emorivir), as announced on 9 November 2021, under the World Trade Organization's Least Developed Country (LDC) waiver in the meantime.

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangla/বাংলাদেশ/news-details-80470#.Yef9dJwYHlk.facebook টিবিএস রিপোর্ট 19 January, 2022, 05:45 pm Last modified: 19 January, 2022, 05:59 pm ফাইজারের কোভিড প্রতিরোধী পিল বাজারে আনলো ইনসেপ্টা ওষুধটি জুপিটাভির ব্র্যান্ড নামে বাজারজাতকরণ করা হবে বলে আজ বুধবার (১৯ জানুয়ারি) এক সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তিতে জানানো হয়। কোভিড-১৯ চিকিৎসায় মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের ফাইজার ইঙ্কের আবিষ্কৃত মুখে খাওয়ার অ্যান্টিভাইরাল বড়ি প্যাক্সলোভিড বাজারে আনার ঘোষণা দিয়েছে দেশীয় প্রতিষ্ঠান ইনসেপ্টা ফার্মাসিউটিক্যালস। ওষুধটি জুপিটাভির ব্র্যান্ড নামে বাজারজাতকরণ করা হবে বলে আজ বুধবার (১৯ জানুয়ারি) এক সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তিতে জানানো হয়। ওষুধ প্রশাসন অধিদপ্তর (ডিজিডিএ) করোনাভাইরাসের মৃদু থেকে মাঝারি সংক্রমণে পিলটির জরুরী ব্যবহারের অনুমতি দিয়েছে। ১২ বছরের বেশি বয়সী শিশু থেকে প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক রোগীরা চিকিৎসকের ব্যবস্থাপত্র অনুসারে ওষুধটি খেতে পারবে। এর আগে গত ২২ ডিসেম্বর মার্কিন খাদ্য ও ওষুধ প্রশাসন (এফডিএ) পিলটির জরুরী অনুমোদন দেয়। এটাই ছিল কোভিড-১৯ প্রতিরোধী কোনো সেবনযোগ্য ওষুধ অনুমোদনের প্রথম দৃষ্টান্ত। মানব ট্রায়ালে অ্যান্টিভাইরাল পিলটি কোভিড-১৯ রোগে আক্রান্তদের হাসপাতালে ভর্তি হওয়ার মতো গুরুতর অসুস্থতা ও মৃত্যু রোধে ৯০ শতাংশ কার্যকারিতা দেখিয়েছে। গবেষণাগারে করা সাম্প্রতিক পরীক্ষার তথ্য বলছে, ওষুধটি অতি-সংক্রামক ওমিক্রন ভেরিয়েন্টের বিরুদ্ধেও কার্যকর। নিরমাটরেলভির ও রিটোনাভির ট্যাবলেটের সাথে একসাথে প্যাকেটজাত করে ওষুধটি বাজারে আনা হয়েছে। সার্স কোভ-২ ভাইরাসের এনজাইমকে আক্রমণ করে নিরমাটরেলভির ভাইরাসের বংশবিস্তার বন্ধ করে। আর রিটোনাভির নিরমাটরেলভিরের প্রভাবকে দীর্ঘমেয়াদি করে। রোগীর দেহে কোভিড-১৯ এর লক্ষণ দেখা দেওয়ার পর এবং শনাক্ত হওয়ার পাঁচদিনের মধ্যে চিকিৎসকের পরামর্শ অনুসারে জুপিটাভির সেবন করা যাবে। এর আগে গেল ৩০ ডিসেম্বর দেশের দুটি শীর্ষ ফার্মাসিউটিক্যাল কোম্পানি বেক্সিমকো ও এসকেএফ পৃথকভাবে প্যাক্সলোভিড বাজারজাতকরণ উদ্বোধন করে। বেক্সিমকো এটি বেক্সোভিড নামে বাজারে এনেছে, আর এসকেএফ এনেছে প্যাক্সোভির নামে।