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Joel Ahmed
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Tk 603cr toll collected from Padma Bridge: Quader
Star Digital Report
Thu Apr 6, 2023 07:39 PM Last update on: Thu Apr 6, 2023 10:17 PM
Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today told parliament that Tk 603.76 crore toll has been collected from the Padma Bridge as of March since its inauguration on June 25, 2022.
The minister said this in reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Benjir Ahmed from Dhaka-20 constituency.
In a scripted answer, Obaidul Quader also said since the launch of Bangabandhu Bridge on June 23, 1998, Tk 7697.71 crore has been collected as toll as of March.
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https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/city/xly7d7ullq
South Korea to finance construction of Kamalapur-Narayanganj route
Arifur Rahman
Dhaka
Updated: 10 Apr 2023, 07: 50
Bangladesh embarked upon the era of metro rail service with technical and financial support from Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is financing the MRT Line-6 project from Uttara to Kamalapur. The country is also providing financial assistance in the ongoing MRT Line-1 and Line-5 construction project.
However, the government is moving away from sole dependency on Japan to implement the metro rail projects. As part of this, the government has decided to seek assistance from South Korea in the MRT Line-4 project.
This route stretches from Kamalapur in the capital to Madanpur in Narayanganj. The government held several policy-level meetings with the country. South Korea has also shown keen interest in being involved in the construction of metro rail in Bangladesh.
Although Japan was supposed to be part of the construction project of MRT Line-4 in continuation of its participation in previous metro rail projects in Bangladesh, the country was excluded this time in the end. Already a proposal seeking project funds has been sent officially to the Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea last week.
According to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the MRT Line-4 route from Kamalapur to Madanpur in Narayanganj will go via Sayedabad, Jatrabari, Shanir Akhra, Signboard and Chattogram Road. The route will cover a distance of 16 kilometres.
The preliminary cost of the project is estimated at Tk 284 billion. Of this, the EDCF of South Korea will provide Tk 212.5 billion as loan for the implantation of the project while the Bangladesh government will bear the remaining cost of Tk 71.50 billion.
The DMTCL officials, however, are saying the projected cost is not the final as yet. The overall cost of the project can be estimated only after a detailed Survey.
Why South Korea instead of Japan?
The government is constructing five metro rail lines, including subways and elevated ways, to reduce the traffic congestion in the capital city. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is financing three of these projects. The Japanese development agency wanted to fund the proposed MRT Line-4 project too.
The Bangladesh government, however, decided not to proceed with Japan for the MRT Line-4 project. Five relevant officials shared with Prothom Alo the reasons for choosing South Korea instead of Japan for the MRT Line-4 project.
They said that the two countries are equal in terms of quality of the project. It has been learnt through a comparative study on the expenditure of metro rail projects in the two countries that seeking funds from South Korea would be more cost effective.
Adding to that is the lack of scope of any further negotiation with Japan regarding the project cost. Now, the government has to accept whatever cost Japan is showing. The government has decided to look for alternative options to raise competition.
Bangladesh and Japan signed a memorandum of association in 2017 which stated that the MRT Line-4 project would be implemented following the PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) process at government level. However, the government has now moved away from its previous stance.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, secretary Emdad Ullah Miyan, member of the Planning Commission involved with the processing of the MRT Line-4 project said that South Korea would finance this project. It has been decided. The decision was taken in order to bring a competitive environment in metro rail projects, he added.
On condition of anonymity an official involved with the MRT Line-6 project, told Prothom Alo, “We had chances to buy the coaches of metro rail at a cheaper rate than what we spent. However, there were some obligations to procure the coaches from Japan as they financed the project. We did not have the chance to verify even the market price.”
The Line-4 route was from Kamalapur to Narayanganj railway lines in the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP). That initial route plan has been changed. The route has been extended up to Madanpur in Narayanganj.
Asked about the reason for changing the route, the DMTCL officials said Bangladesh Railway has undertaken a project to construct a double line from Kamalapur to Narayanganj. The Padma Bridge Rail Link also falls on this route. Therefore, the route of MRT Line-4 was changed.
Meanwhile, the years-old Sayedabad bus terminal would need to be shifted from its original location for the implementation of the MRT Line-6 project on the changed route. In that case, the bus terminal will be moved to Madanpur. The depot of MRT Line-4 will also be constructed in Madanpur.
Project costs
The MRT Line-6 is the first ever metro rail service in the country. The route of line-6 stretches from Uttara to Kamalapur via Agargaon. The Uttara-Agargaon section of the service was inaugurated on 28 December, 2022. While the route from Agargaon to Motijheel is expected to be launched by the end of this year, the entire route will be launched by 2025, according to the DMTCL.
The overall expenditure of 21.26-km metro rail service is Tk 334.71 billion. Of this, JICA is providing Tk 196.75 billion and the government have been bearing the rest of the expenditure.
The cost for the construction of 31-km long MRT Line-1 is estimated at Tk 519 billion. The JICA will provide a loan of Tk 338.14 billion for the project and the government will provide the rest of the required fund.
The MRT Line-5 will start from Hemayetpur in Savar and the last stoppage on this route will be Bhatara. JICA will provide a loan of Tk 307.6 billion for the implementation of this Tk 412.6 billion-project. The Bangladesh government will fund Tk 105.05 billion for this project. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has also become a part of this project.
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Press Release
18 March, 2023, 08:15 pm
Last modified: 18 March, 2023, 08:20 pm
Bangladeshi IT firm tops FVC’s global fingerprint algorithm evaluation
Tiger IT Bangladesh Limited has achieved a remarkable feat, emerging as the undisputed leader in the cutting-edge FVC-onGoing evaluation method for fingerprint recognition algorithms.
The prestigious evaluation was carried out by the Biometric System Laboratory team at the esteemed University of Bologna in Italy, cementing Tiger IT's position as a pioneering force in the field of biometric technology, read a press release issued on Saturday.
In all evaluations for fingerprint verification, Tiger AFIS, the patented fingerprint extraction and matching technology rated as the most accurate overall.
As of March 2023, FVC-onGoing has evaluated 8187 algorithms, amongst which Tiger AFIS has ranked number one, read the release.
The benchmark established by FVC and its automatic assessment of biometric algorithms, allows developers to evaluate their algorithms.
Nasir U Ahmed, one of the key scientists of Tiger IT Bangladesh, said, "We have reshaped numerous industries with our world-renowned biometric products. With our relentless research and development, we are confident that we can revolutionise both public and private organisations with their evolving identity management needs."
As an identity-based turnkey solution provider, Tiger IT is a well-known brand in the international biometric industry. They have over 20 years of expertise in the development of innovative algorithms, enterprise solutions, and biometric research.
The primary areas of concentration for Tiger IT are large-scale biometrics, identity and credentialing, database administration, e-Governance, and related MIS solutions.
What is Tiger's AFIS/ABIS system?
These cutting-edge biometric systems utilise the latest in artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to quickly and accurately identify individuals based on their unique biological traits.
The AFIS system is designed to recognise fingerprints, while the ABIS system of Tiger IT can recognise a wide range of biometric features, including facial recognition, iris scanning, and voice identification. Tiger IT's ABIS/AFIS system is run by various national, and international organisations in the world.
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https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/energy/unique-hotels-power-project-gets-463m-foreign-loan-599730
TBS Report
14 March, 2023, 10:15 pm
Last modified: 14 March, 2023, 11:16 pm
Unique Hotel’s power project gets $463m foreign loan
Unique Meghnaghat Power Limited – a joint venture of Unique Hotel and Resorts, Strategic Finance Limited, Nebras Power Investment Management, and GE Capital Global Energy Investment – has secured a $463 million loan from four foreign lenders to finance the project.
In a stock exchange filing on Tuesday, the Unique Hotel said the owning companies have agreed to finance 75% of the project from bank loans and the remaining 25% through equity support.
As part of this, they have recently signed an agreement with the four foreign financial institutions. Standard Chartered Bank will provide $270 million, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank $110 million, the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) $45 million, and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) $38 million for 15 years.
Strategic Finance, Unique Hotel, and Nebras Power Investment Management hold 38.76%, 37.24%, and 24% of the shares of the power company, respectively.
In July 2019, Unique Hotel signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with the Bangladesh Power Development Board to set up the country's largest combined-cycle power plant of 584 MW, fuelled by natural gas.
The power plant will be built on 18.75 acres of land at Sonargaon's Meghnaghat in Narayanganj at an overall estimated cost of $520 million. It is expected to go into operation by July 2022, generating electricity that could power seven lakh homes.
But due to the supply disruption caused by the Covid outbreak and later by the Ukraine-Russia war, the construction work has been delayed, and the new time will be determined by June this year.
Unique earns Tk205 crore
In April 2021, Nebras Power, a Qatar-based investment company, signed an agreement with Unique Hotel and Strategic Finance and Investments Ltd to buy a 24% stake in Unique Meghnaghat Power for Tk450 crore.
As per the agreement, Nebras Power Investment will buy 14,641 shares of the gas-based power plant from Unique Hotel at a face value of Tk10 each. Nebras Power will pay $24.06 million, or Tk205 crore, in four phases for these shares, including a premium. Strategic Finance will sell 12.24% of its holdings at a value of Tk245 crore. Nebras will pay off the total amount in four phases.
Nebras Power Investment has paid Tk82 crore to Unique Hotel as the first phase payment for acquiring Unique Meghnaghat in March last year.
Unique Hotel's performance
Unique Hotel and Resort, owner of the Westin Dhaka and Sheraton hotels, posted a 135% growth in revenue to Tk141 crore in the July-December period of last year.
The net profit of the company belonging to the travel and leisure sector also jumped around five times to Tk45 crore, while its earnings per share stood at Tk1.52 during the first half of FY23.
It earned an 84% higher revenue from The Westin Dhaka during the period. It earned Tk100 crore, 48.32% of which was from room rent and 45.15% from food services at the five-star hotel.
According to its official statement, compared to the last two years, the economic activities of the country have increased in the current fiscal year. Consequently, the number of guests and programmes at five-star hotels has also increased.
Unique Hotel and Resort said its revenue and profit increased due to an increase in Westin's revenue as well as the revenue it earned from a new hotel – Sheraton – that started operating under it last year.
Currently, Sheraton Hotel Dhaka has been selling food, but it has not started welcoming guests yet. In the first six months of FY23, it has sold food worth Tk29 crore.
The company will also build Westin-2 in the Gulshan area as an extension of Westin Dhaka. The company signed a Tk500 crore loan deal with the Al-Arafah Islami Bank last year to finance the project.
Unique Hotel shares closed 1.66% higher at Tk67.50 on Tuesday at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).
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https://bonikbarta.net/home/news_description/333851/দেশে-গবেষণায়-গড়ে-ওঠেনি-পেটেন্টের-সংস্কৃতি
দেশে গবেষণায় গড়ে ওঠেনি পেটেন্টের সংস্কৃতি
সাইফ সুজন
মার্চ ১২, ২০২৩
https://bonikbarta.net/uploads/news_image/news_333851_2.jpg?t=1678622873
গবেষণার প্রধান লক্ষ্যই হলো নতুন জ্ঞান সৃজন। বিশ্বব্যাপী উদ্ভাবিত জ্ঞান, প্রযুক্তি ও পণ্যের স্বত্ব সংরক্ষণে ‘পেটেন্ট’ গ্রহণ করতে হয় গবেষকদের। যদিও বাংলাদেশের গবেষণা খাতে পেটেন্ট গ্রহণের সংস্কৃতি গড়ে উঠছে না। প্রতি বছরই বৈশ্বিকভাবে স্বীকৃত বিভিন্ন জার্নালে বাংলাদেশী গবেষকদের কয়েক হাজার বৈজ্ঞানিক গবেষণা প্রবন্ধ প্রকাশিত হয়। যদিও প্রকাশনার বিপরীতে পেটেন্ট গ্রহণ বা প্রাপ্তির হার খুবই নগণ্য।
সংশ্লিষ্টরা বলছেন, গবেষণার ক্ষেত্রে পেটেন্টযোগ্য বিষয় বা পণ্য নির্বাচন না করা, গবেষণা কার্যক্রম পরিচালনায় পেটেন্ট প্রাপ্তির নির্দেশনা অনুসরণের অভাব, পেটেন্ট পাওয়ার পর বাজারজাতের উদ্যোগের অভাব, আন্তর্জাতিক অঙ্গনে দেশীয় গবেষণার ভাবমূর্তি গড়ে না ওঠা, গবেষকদের অসচেতনতা, পেটেন্ট লাভে দীর্ঘসূত্রতাসহ নানা কারণে দেশের গবেষকদের মধ্যে পেটেন্ট গ্রহণের সংস্কৃতি গড়ে উঠছে না।
দেশের পেটেন্ট খাতের সার্বিক ব্যবস্থাপনা বিষয়ে একটি গবেষণা কার্যক্রম পরিচালনা করেছে বাংলাদেশ বিজ্ঞান ও শিল্প গবেষণা পরিষদ (বিসিএসআইআর) ও ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের একদল গবেষক। সেখানে গত কয়েক বছরে বিশ্বের বিভিন্ন জার্নালে দেশের গবেষকদের প্রকাশিত প্রবন্ধের সংখ্যা ও পেটেন্ট প্রাপ্তির তুলনামূলক চিত্র তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। গবেষণার ভিত্তিতে প্রণীত ‘পেটেন্ট ইকোসিস্টেম ইন বাংলাদেশ: কারেন্ট স্ট্যাটাস, চ্যালেঞ্জেস অ্যান্ড প্রসপেক্টস’ শীর্ষক প্রতিবেদনটি হেলিয়ন জার্নাল অনলাইনে ‘প্রি-প্রিন্ট’ হিসেবে প্রকাশ করেছে।
প্রতিবেদনে দেয়া তথ্যমতে, ২০২১ সালে দেশীয় গবেষকদের প্রকাশিত গবেষণা প্রবন্ধের সংখ্যা ১২ হাজার ৬৪৮। ওই বছর অনুমোদনপ্রাপ্ত দেশীয় পেটেন্টের সংখ্যা ছিল মাত্র ২৯। অর্থাৎ ওই বছর দেশীয় গবেষকদের পেটেন্ট ও পাবলিকেশনের অনুপাত ছিল ১:৪৩৬। যদিও একই বছর পাশের দেশ ভারতের গবেষকদের আন্তর্জাতিক জার্নালে প্রকাশিত প্রবন্ধের সংখ্যা ছিল ২ লাখ ৩৭ হাজার ৪২৯। ওই বছর ভারতীয়রা পেটেন্ট পেয়েছেন ১৪ হাজার ৬১৩টি। পেটেন্ট-পাবলিকেশনের আনুপাতিক হার দাঁড়ায় ১:১৬.২৫। চীনের গবেষকদের ৮ লাখ ৬০ হাজার ১২টি গবেষণা প্রবন্ধ বিভিন্ন জার্নালে প্রকাশিত হয়। দেশটির গবেষকদের পেটেন্ট সংখ্যা ছিল ৬ লাখ ৩৯ হাজার ৩০৯। অর্থাৎ দেশটির পেটেন্ট-পাবলিকেশন অনুপাত দাঁড়ায় ১:১.৩৫। ২০২১ সালে দক্ষিণ কোরিয়ার গবেষকদের প্রকাশিত গবেষণাপত্রের সংখ্যা ১ লাখ ১ হাজার ৬৯২। ওই বছর দেশটির গবেষকরা পেটেন্ট পান ১ লাখ ৫৮ হাজার ৪৯৫টি। অর্থাৎ দেশটির গবেষকদের গবেষণা প্রবন্ধের চেয়ে পেটেন্টের সংখ্যাই বেশি। পেটেন্ট পাবলিকেশন অনুপাত ছিল ১:০.৬৪। একই অবস্থা জাপানের ক্ষেত্রেও। দেশটির গবেষকদের প্রকাশনা ১ লাখ ৪৪ হাজার ৭৭৮টি ও পেটেন্ট ছিল ২ লাখ ৭৮ হাজার ১১৭টি। অর্থাৎ প্রকাশনার চেয়ে পেটেন্টর সংখ্যা প্রায় দ্বিগুণ। আর যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের গবেষকদের ২০২১ সালে প্রকাশনা ছিল ৭ লাখ ২৬ হাজার ৫৫২টি ও পেটেন্ট ছিল ২ লাখ ৯৮ হাজার ৫৭৫টি। দেশটির পেটেন্ট ও পাবলিকেশনের অনুপাত দাঁড়ায় ১: ২.৪৩।
অন্যান্য দেশের তুলনায় বাংলাদেশের গবেষকদের পেটেন্ট প্রাপ্তির হার খুবই কম। পেটেন্ট কম হওয়ার কারণ প্রসঙ্গে জানতে চাইলে যশোর বিজ্ঞান ও প্রযুক্তি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উপাচার্য অধ্যাপক ড. মো. আনোয়ার হোসেন বণিক বার্তাকে বলেন, ‘দেশে পেটেন্ট না হওয়ার প্রধান কারণ হলো এর সংস্কৃতি গড়ে ওঠা। গবেষকদের মধ্যে পেটেন্ট-বিষয়ক সচেতনতা ও আগ্রহ অনেক কম। এজন্য গবেষণার বিষয় পরিকল্পনার সময়ই পেটেন্টের বিষয়টা সামনে আনা হয় না। আর যারা পেটেন্ট-কেন্দ্রিক কাজ করছেন তারাও পেটেন্ট অফিসের দীর্ঘসূত্রতার কারণে নানাভাবে নিরুৎসাহিত হচ্ছেন। আমি ২০১৮ সালে একটি পেটেন্টের জন্য আবেদন করেছি, এখন পর্যন্ত সেটা উন্মুক্তই করা হয়নি। আবার একটা গবেষণাকে পেটেন্ট পর্যায়ে নিয়ে যাওয়ার জন্য একটি কাঠামোর প্রয়োজন হয়। এ ধরনের সেবা দেয়ার জন্য বিভিন্ন দেশে বিশেষায়িত ফার্ম রয়েছে। যদিও আমাদের এখানে তা নেই। বিদেশে বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়গুলোর আয়ের একটি বড় খাত পেটেন্ট। অথচ আাামদের বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়গুলো এক্ষেত্রে বেশ নিষ্ক্রিয়।’
ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের অণুজীববিজ্ঞানের এ অধ্যাপক আরো বলেন, ‘এক দশক আগেও দেশের গবেষণা খাত বেশ অবহেলিত ছিল। সাম্প্রতিক বছরগুলোয় এক্ষেত্রে বেশকিছু ইতিবাচক পরিবর্তন এসেছে। প্রতি বছরই উল্লেখযোগ্যসংখ্যক গবেষণা প্রবন্ধ আন্তর্জাতিক জার্নালে প্রকাশ হচ্ছে। সংখ্যাগত দিক থেকে হলেও এটা আরো সামনের দিকে নিয়ে যেতে হবে। পাশাপাশি ক্রমান্বয়ে ফোকাসড রিসার্চ তথা উচ্চতর গবেষণায় জোর দিতে হবে। এর মাধ্যমে নতুন নতুন উদ্ভাবন নিয়ে আসতে হবে। এ প্রক্রিয়ায় এগোলে পেটেন্টের সংখ্যাও বাড়বে। এক্ষেত্রে নীতিগত জায়গায় সরকার ও সংশ্লিষ্ট প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোকে অনেক বেশি কাজ করতে হবে। কেননা বাংলাদেশ এলডিসি উত্তরণ করলে বিদেশী অনেক পেটেন্ট বিনামূল্যে ব্যবহার করতে পারবে না।’
জাতিসংঘের স্বত্ব সংরক্ষণবিষয়ক প্রতিষ্ঠান ওয়ার্ল্ড ইন্টেলেকচুয়াল প্রপার্টি অর্গানাইজেশন (ডব্লিউআইপিও)। জাতিসংঘের সদস্য দেশগুলো এ প্রতিষ্ঠানের বিভিন্ন নীতিমালা অনুসরণ করে পেটেন্ট দেয়। বাংলাদেশে এ বিষয়ে কাজ করে পেটেন্ট, ডিজাইন ও ট্রেড মার্কস অধিদপ্তর (ডিপিডিটি)। প্রতিষ্ঠানটির তথ্য বলছে, দেশে পেটেন্টের জন্য আবেদনের প্রবণতাও অনেক কম। আবার যে আবেদনগুলো পড়ছে তার বড় অংশই বিদেশী ব্যক্তি বা প্রতিষ্ঠানের।
ডিপিডিটির তথ্যমতে, ২০২১ সালে প্রতিষ্ঠানটিতে পেটেন্ট প্রাপ্তির আবেদন পড়ে ৪৪৭টি। এর মধ্যে ৩৭৮টি বিদেশী ব্যক্তি বা প্রতিষ্ঠানের। আর ৬৯টি দেশের ব্যক্তি বা প্রতিষ্ঠানের। ওই বছর ২৪০টি পেটেন্ট দেয়া হয়, যার মধ্যে ২১টিই বিদেশী। দেশীয় মাত্র ২৯টি।
এ বিষয়ে জানতে চাইলে ডিপিডিটির ডেপুটি রেজিস্ট্রার (পেটেন্ট ও ডিজাইন) আলেয়া খাতুন বণিক বার্তাকে বলেন, ‘আমাদের এখানে পেটেন্টের জন্য যে আবেদনগুলো পড়ে এর বেশির ভাগই বিদেশী। দেশ থেকে আবেদন পড়ে খুবই কম। এজন্য পেটেন্ট প্রাপ্তির হারেও বিদেশী ব্যক্তি বা প্রতিষ্ঠানই এগিয়ে থাকে। বিদেশের বিভিন্ন প্রতিষ্ঠান দেশের বাজারে পণ্য নিয়ে আসার জন্য পেটেন্টের আবেদন করে। আবেদন পাওয়ার পর আইন ও ডব্লিউআইপিওর বিভিন্ন নির্দেশনার আলোকে বিভিন্ন ধাপ সম্পন্ন করে পেটেন্ট দেয়া হয়।’
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https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/china-eyes-boost-investment-bangladesh-597782
Abbas Uddin Noyon
11 March, 2023, 03:35 pm
Last modified: 11 March, 2023, 03:45 pm
China eyes to boost investment in Bangladesh
China's Xinyi Glass Holdings Limited has recently proposed investing $200 million to set up a glass factory, for which the company has reached out to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), seeking land for establishing the factory through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Two other Chinese companies – Kaixi Lingerie Bangladesh Corporation and SSH (BD) Sustainable Fashion Ltd – have proposed investments of $61 million and $24 million, respectively, to establish a high-end garments industry.
Among other recent Chinese investment interests, Sinovac Biotech has moved to establish a Plasma Centre in Bangladesh with an investment of $500 million. The company has already started the construction of its infrastructure.
According to Bida, at least 15 Chinese companies have brought direct investment in Bangladesh in the last year alone. Besides, another $1.5 billion worth FDI proposals came last year.
Bangladesh Bank data says the country's yearly growth of FDI from China stood at 13.5%. In 2015, FDI from China was only $56 million, which in seven years has increased 11.5 times.
"We are tirelessly working to bring in big investments from China and we are getting good responses," said Lokman Hossain Miah, executive chairman of Bida.
Bangladesh will see an increased investment in the textile and clothing sectors in the coming days as the business environment has marked tremendous improvement in recent years, said Calvin Ngan, president of the Overseas Chinese Association in Bangladesh (Ocab).
"In 2023, we see our motherland opening up the border and there will be no more quarantine. Flights between Bangladesh and China are increasing. Economic and cultural activities are beginning to pick up. We are seeing more Chinese coming to Bangladesh and more Bangladeshis going to China," he added.
Economists said the US-China trade conflicts are forcing Chinese manufacturers to relocate their production facilities to alternative locations and Bangladeshi zones will be able to attract those investors.
Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, research director of the Policy Research Institute (PRI), said due to the elimination of our huge trade deficit with China and geopolitics, Bangladesh has got the attention of China's entrepreneurs. Moreover, during the latest visit of the Chinese president, they pledged to invest $27 billion in Bangladesh.
"It is possible to bring in more Chinese investment by presenting Bangladesh's potential," he added.
Govt making special economic zone for China
To give special benefits to Chinese investors, the government is making a special economic zone on about 783 acres of land in Anwara upazila of Chattogram.
When the project is completed, it is expected that employment opportunities will be created for approximately 2 lakh people.
Shaikh Yusuf Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza), said many Chinese companies have already shown interest in investing here.
Al Mamun Mridha, acting secretary-general of the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), also said they are trying to bring large investments to the Chinese Economic Zone.
Jinyuan chemical, Yabang Group, Techno and Miago are among the Chinese companies investing in the economic zones. In the Bay Economic Zone, MEIGO Bangladesh Ltd proposed a $50 million investment.
20-member Chinese delegation at Bangladesh Investment Summit
A delegation of 20 members including some members of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and various other business organisations are participating in the Bangladesh Business Summit to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
The BCCCI said the delegation will meet with various authorities and business organisations including Bida, Beza as well as the commerce minister of Bangladesh,
Al Mamun Mridha, acting secretary-general of BCCCI, said they have a meeting with the visiting delegation on Sunday afternoon.
The delegation will discuss investments in high-tech industries, semiconductors, automobiles, agri machinery, cold storage chain, poultry and cow feed and technology transfer in Bangladesh.
"We will propose to them to import more sea fish, fruits, vegetables, jute and jute products from Bangladesh to the Chinese market," he said.
"We will also propose to set up a joint think tank with the participation of policy-makers as well as businessmen from both countries," added Mridha.
China a major partner in infrastructure and trade
China has huge investments in the infrastructure sector of the country. According to China Daily, China is implementing a $10 billion infrastructure project in Bangladesh.
The same trend is noticeable in trade. China is now Bangladesh's largest trading partner. The trade volume between the two countries is about $25 billion. Bangladesh mainly brings capital machinery, raw materials from China.
On the other hand, Bangladesh exports vegetables, frozen and live fish, leather and leather products, textile fibres, paper yarn and woven fabrics, garments and apparel items to the country.
China implemented duty-free facilities on 97% of Bangladeshi products from 1 July 2020. Later, it was increased to 98%. The export of crabs and eels to China resumed from last July. By exporting these two items, Bangladesh earns about $50 million a year from China.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said, "China is Bangladesh's largest trading partner. Leather, ICT, and light engineering sectors can be potential investment sectors for the Chinese investors."
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Eyamin Sajid
01 March, 2023, 10:10 am
Last modified: 01 March, 2023, 10:14 am
ExxonMobil wants gas exploration in Bangladesh's seas, lands
ExxonMobil Corporation, one of the world's largest oil and gas companies, has expressed interest in exploring gas in all the open deepwater offshore blocks and some onshore blocks using the required two- and three-dimensional seismic surveys.
The company plans to implement the proposal, including production sharing contracts (PSC) negotiation and well exploration, in three phases over six years.
The proposal comes when Bangladesh is about to finalise its model PSC, under which International Oil Companies (IOCs) will be offered larger output shares and increased gas prices.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has also started its much anticipated multi-client survey, which is scheduled to be completed by next May, to acquire data on hydrocarbon reserves in Bangladesh's part of the Bay of Bengal.
Contacted, Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Resource Corporation (Petrobangla) Chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker said, "ExxonMobil has placed a primary proposal to negotiate on offshore blocks in deep-sea as well as for some onshore blocks.
"The proposal is now under consideration," he added.
ExxonMobil wants all open blocks both in bay, land
In its proposal, ExxonMobil expressed interest in direct negotiation for mutually acceptable PSCs covering all open deepwater blocks, data access for evaluation of selected onshore blocks needed for direct negotiation proposal, and participating in the planned tender for the offshore blocks.
It chalked out a timeline in three phases from this year to materialise the plan.
In the first phase, the Texas-based international oil and gas company is also eying to complete PSC negotiation and 2D seismic survey in two years.
Under the second phase, it intends to complete 3D seismic data acquisition, processing and interpretation on high-graded blocks in three years.
In the final phase, it plans to start drilling exploration wells, which will continue for three years.
At present, Bangladesh has 26 open offshore and 22 onshore blocks. Of these, 11 offshore blocks are located in shallow water and the remaining 15 are in deep waters.
Currently, the government has PSC for two shallow sea blocks – blocks SS-04 and SS-09, which ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) are jointly exploring.
Of the total onshore blocks, only four are awarded to IOCs. USA oil giant Chevron has been exploring and producing natural gas in three onshore blocks –12, 13 and 14 – while Singapore's KrisEnergy is active in block-9.
USA giant interested in survey jointly with TGS
Apart from this, ExxonMobil also wished to work directly with Norwegian survey company TGS and US firm Schlumberger. This joint venture is now conducting the multi-client survey in the Bay of Bengal to acquire a denser grid of 2D data during the initial acquisition phase.
Norway and US, joint venture firms, started the survey on 4 January this year and are scheduled to complete it by next May, said engineer Md Shaheenur Islam, director (Production Sharing Contract), Petrobangla.
Regarding ExxonMobil's wish to work with the TGS-led firm, Shaheenur said it depends on the decision of the Energy and Mineral Resource Division.
Stating its competency for the job, ExxonMobil said, "Any hydrocarbon accumulations in the deepwater offshore area in question are most likely to occur in stratigraphic traps, and ExxonMobil has the had the most successful track record in industry of exploring for such traps in the last decade, based on its exploration program in deepwater Guyana."
In contrast, the bulk of the anticipated onshore traps are structural, and ExxonMobil also has extensive experience in such settings, it added.
New PSC offers increased benefits to IOC
Petrobangla has drafted a new model PSC offering a larger output share and increasing the gas price to attract IOCs in the local fields.
As per the existing PSC, the rate of the purchase price of IOC-produced gas is below $3 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). But in the proposed PSC, the price has been proposed to increase by three times to around $10 per Mcf, reads the draft PSC.
Besides, the government share in the "profit gas" also proposed to drag down to 40-70% from the previous 55-80% from the previous PSC.
Like the existing PSC, the new model PSC also allows the IOCs to export offshore gas after meeting domestic demand.
Regarding the updated PSC, Md Shaheenur Islam said it was now under legal scrutiny to get the final approval.
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JS whip: Bullet train on Dinajpur-Dhaka route by 2027
Work on Dhaka-Chittagong route to operate bullet train is progressing rapidly as well, says the JS whip
Tribune Desk
February 4, 2023 3:10 PM
Jatiya Sangsad Whip Iqbalur Rahim on Saturday said that the bullet train will run on the Dinajpur-Dhaka route by 2027.
He said that metro rail is running in Bangladesh now while construction work of subway is going on. Bullet train work on Dhaka-Chittagong route is progressing rapidly. If the Awami League government comes back to power, the bullet train will run on the Dinajpur-Dhaka route by 2027 as per the promise made by the prime minister herself.
The JS whip was speaking at an event of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust in the conference room of Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner's office at 11:30am on Saturday.
“There was no development work for journalists during Khaleda Zia's tenure. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thinks differently for journalists. At present, journalists are receiving support. Support arrangements are being made for sick journalists. If a journalist dies, a grant will be given to their family in future,” said Iqbalur Rahim.
He also said that the country has become digital. The government is now working towards building a Smart Bangladesh, journalists have already become smart. Dinajpur residents and journalists will benefit if an IT incubator is launched in Dinajpur.
“You have to keep trust and faith in the government. Journalists have to work against the forces against the liberation war, injustice and evil,” said the JS whip.
Later, donation cheques were distributed to 10 journalists working in different media.
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https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/eight-dhakas-flyovers-glance-587510
TBS Report
19 February, 2023, 06:35 pm
Last modified: 19 February, 2023, 09:57 pm
Dhaka's eight flyovers covering 30km built in 20 years
Being the sixth most populous city in the world, traffic congestion is a common scene in Dhaka. To mitigate this nagging issue, the government has built eight flyovers in the capital over the last 20 years.
Kalshi Flyover
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday opened the 2.34km Kalshi flyover to the traffic in the capital's Mirpur. It was built at a cost of Tk1,012 crore.
Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover
The 8.7km flyover was opened to traffic on 30 March 2016. A total of Tk 1,218 crore was spent to build the flyover.
Mayor Hanif Flyover
This 10-kilometer-long Jatrabari flyover opened for the public in 2013.
Zillur Rahman Flyover
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the 1.8-kilometre Mirpur-Airport flyover in 2013. The flyover, later named after late President Zillur Rahman was built at a cost of Tk200 crore.
Kuril Flyover
The 3.1km flyover was opened to traffic on 4 August 2013. It was built at a cost of Tk 306 crore, financed by Rajuk.
Khilgaon Flyover
The 1.9km flyover was opened to traffic in 2005. The government built this flyover at a cost of Tk81.75 crore.
Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon Link Road Flyover
The 1,114 metres long was opened to traffic in 2010. It was built at a cost of Tk47 crore.
Mohakhali Flyover
This was the first flyover in Bangladesh which was opened to traffic in 2004. The 1.12km flyover was built at a cost of Tk113.52 financed by the World Bank.
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UNB
22 February, 2023, 04:30 pm
Last modified: 22 February, 2023, 04:34 pm
Nayeb-e-Amir of militant group Jama'atul Ansar arrested from Dhaka's Sayedabad: CTTC
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) says it has arrested the Nayeb-e-Amir of the militant group Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya from Sayedabad area of Dhaka.
The arrestee was identified as Mohibullah alias "Bholar Shayekh".
Acting on a tip-off, a team of CTTC unit conducted a drive at Sayedabad bus terminal and arrested Mohibullah with two mobile phone sets and a laptop on Tuesday evening, CTTC unit chief Md Asaduzzaman said at a press briefing held at DMP media centre on Wednesday (22 February).
When briefing, Asaduzzaman said Mohibullah used to deliver sermons and inspire members of the militant group after taking them into the hill districts.
His main target was to psychologically prepare the new recruits for "jihad" after misinterpreting religious scripture, the CTTC chief said.
After living in the Chattogram Hill Tracts region for some time, Mohibullah returned to Dhaka and carried out different activities including intensifying communication through encrypted messaging app, he said.
Mohibullah also had a number of meetings with top leaders of militant groups for strengthening activities in Dhaka, Sylhet and Kishoreganj. He also used to go to madrasas in Hathazari of Chattogram district, said Asaduzzaman.
Mohibullah was also an active member of the banned extremist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Bangladesh (HuJI-B) when he was a student of a madrasa in Hathazari and took "jihadi training" with other members of HuJI-B.
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https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/kawla-tejgaon-elevated-expressway-visible-587186
BSS
19 February, 2023, 09:00 am
Last modified: 19 February, 2023, 09:05 am
Kawla-Tejgaon elevated expressway visible
Kawla-Tejgaon portion of the four-lane 19.73 km Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DAE) is now visible as the overall progress of the construction work has reached over 57 percent till January this year.
"The much-anticipated four-lane 19.73 km Dhaka elevated expressway, having 31 ramps, is being constructed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) method to ease vehicular movement in an around the capital," said Project Director of Dhaka Elevated Expressway AHMS Aktar today over phone.
He said the government has undertaken the elevated expressway project to connect the capital to the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway (Kutubkhali).
According to the project, the First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Ltd is the investor company.
Italian Thai Development Public Company Ltd has 51 percent shares, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Co-operation Group (CSI)'s 34 percent and Sinohydro Corporation Ltd has 15 percent shares.
The total expenditure of the project is estimated at Tk 8,940 crore. Of the total cost, Tk 2,413 crore will be provided by Bangladesh government, it said.
As per the project, the first contract was signed on January 19, 2011 and the reviewed agreement was signed on December 15, 2013 and the project completion period was from July 2011 to June 2024.
The total length of the elevated expressway is 46.73 km including 19.73 km main elevated portion, 31 ramps having 27 km long in and out route for vehicles.
The project director said the first phase-Kawla, southern side of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Banani Railway Station having 7.45 km, has already completed.
The second phase from Banani Railway Station to Moghbazar Railway Crossing is progressing, while Banani-Mohakhali DOHS and Nakhalpara-Tejgaon portion of the elevated expressway have been completed, he said.
"We have started construction work of 6.43 km, the third phase from Moghbazar Railway Crossing to Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, Kutubkhali," Aktar said.
The first part of the flyover from Kawla to Banani, adjacent to the airport, is now almost ready. Road carpeting of about 7.5 kms of this section has been completed.
The construction of the ramps to the flyover is in the final stage. Now, if only the connecting road carpeting of the expressway from Kawla to Banani is completed making it fully ready for vehicular movement.
In the meantime, installing street lights has also started. The work of erecting railings on both sides of the road is also going on. Kawla to Banani section will be made fully ready in a few days.
Concrete casting on the second part of about 6 km flyover road from Banani to Tejgaon section is in the final stage. Movement of vehicles up to Tejgaon will be opened in the first phase.
Separate toll plazas will be installed for collecting toll from vehicles, as investor companies will realize their invested money from the elevated expressway project.
In the last 14 years, several infrastructure projects have been initiated in Bangladesh.
Considering the size, budget, and economic impact, many of these projects have been termed as mega-projects.
The government has also identified a few of them as fast-track projects.
Among these, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangladesh's first metro rail project MRT Line-6 and Chandra-Elenga four-lane highway were completed.
In addition, to strengthening the country's economy, the government has started giving importance to new infrastructural projects and ongoing projects.Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, the first and longest underwater road tunnel in South Asia, is expected to be completed soon.
The country witnessed a good number of development projects and raise Bangladesh's GDP.
The other projects-Padma bridge rail link, Chattogram-Cox's Bazar rail link, Rooppur nuclear power plant, Matarbari 1200MW coal-fired power plant, the Payra deep sea port, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Railway Bridge over the river Jamuna, are extremely crucial to the country's economic growth and hence the key focus of the government now is their timely completion.
After the Awami League government came to power in 2009, it took up several monumental development projects with the view to bringing revolutionary chance in the country's communication and transportation system.
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https://bonikbarta.net/home/news_description/322503
১৪ হাজার কেজি স্বর্ণ আছে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের রিজার্ভে
হাছান আদনান
ডিসেম্বর ০৩, ২০২২
https://bonikbarta.net/uploads/news_image/news_322503_1.jpg?t=1677081561
রিজার্ভ হিসেবে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের কাছে মজুদ আছে ১৪ হাজার ৩৩ কেজি স্বর্ণ। তবে এর মাত্র ১৭ শতাংশ জমা আছে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের ভল্টে। রিজার্ভে থাকা স্বর্ণের ৪২ শতাংশই গচ্ছিত আছে ব্যাংক অব ইংল্যান্ডে। বাকি ৪১ শতাংশ বিনিয়োগ করা হয়েছে লন্ডনের স্ট্যান্ডার্ড চার্টার্ড ও এইচএসবিসি ব্যাংকের মাধ্যমে। কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের রিজার্ভে থাকা স্বর্ণের মূল্য নির্ধারণ হয়েছে ৭ হাজার ৬৬০ কোটি টাকা। স্বর্ণ ছাড়াও কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের কাছে রিজার্ভ হিসেবে রুপা রয়েছে ৫ হাজার ২৪৮ কেজি। বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের ২০২১-২২ অর্থবছরের নিরীক্ষিত আর্থিক প্রতিবেদনে এসব তথ্য তুলে ধরা হয়েছে।
চলতি বছরের ৩০ জুনের তথ্য অনুযায়ী, রিজার্ভ হিসেবে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের মতিঝিল কার্যালয়ের ভল্টে স্বর্ণ রয়েছে ২ হাজার ৩৬৩ কেজি। আর ব্যাংক অব ইংল্যান্ডের ভল্টে জমা আছে ৫ হাজার ৮৭৬ কেজি স্বর্ণ। বাকি ৫ হাজার ৭৯৪ কেজি স্বর্ণ লন্ডনের স্ট্যান্ডার্ড চার্টার্ড ও এইচএসবিসি ব্যাংকে বিনিয়োগ করা হয়েছে। সব মিলিয়ে রিজার্ভ হিসেবে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের মজুদকৃত স্বর্ণের পরিমাণ ১৪ হাজার ৩৩ কেজি।
একই দিনে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের কাছে বৈদেশিক মুদ্রার রিজার্ভ ছিল ৪ হাজার ১৮৬ কোটি বা ৪১ দশমিক ৮৬ বিলিয়ন ডলার। ওই দিন ডলারের বিনিময় হার ছিল ৯৩ টাকা ৪৫ পয়সা। সে অনুযায়ী টাকার অংকে বৈদেশিক মুদ্রার রিজার্ভের পরিমাণ ছিল ৩ লাখ ৯১ হাজার ২২৮ কোটি টাকা। বৈদেশিক মুদ্রা হিসেবে উল্লেখ করা হলেও কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের রিজার্ভের একটি অংশ থাকে স্বর্ণ ও রুপায়।
বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের ফরেক্স রিজার্ভ অ্যান্ড ট্রেজারি ম্যানেজমেন্ট বিভাগের কর্মকর্তারা জানান, রিজার্ভে থাকা স্বর্ণের হিসাব শুধু ব্যাংক অব ইংল্যান্ডের মাধ্যমে পরিচালিত হয়। লন্ডনের স্ট্যান্ডার্ড চার্টার্ড ব্যাংক এবং এইচএসবিসির মাধ্যমে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক মজুদকৃত স্বর্ণের একটি অংশ বিনিয়োগ করে। এ বিনিয়োগ থেকে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক মুনাফা পায়।
চাওয়া মাত্র বৈদেশিক মুদ্রায় রূপান্তর করা যায়, এমন সম্পদকে রিজার্ভ হিসেবে গণনা করা হয় বলে জানালেন বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের প্রধান অর্থনীতিবিদ ড. মো. হাবিবুর রহমান। বণিক বার্তাকে তিনি বলেন, ‘রিজার্ভের বাইরেও বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের সম্পদ রয়েছে। রিজার্ভ হিসেবে ততটুকুই গণনা করা হয়, যা চাওয়া মাত্র বৈদেশিক মুদ্রায় রূপান্তর করা যায়। রিজার্ভের ভিত মজবুত করার জন্য প্রায় সব দেশই স্বর্ণ মজুদ রাখে। এক্ষেত্রে পছন্দের শীর্ষে থাকে ব্যাংক অব ইংল্যান্ড। বাংলাদেশের মজুদকৃত স্বর্ণেরও বড় অংশ ব্যাংক অব ইংল্যান্ডে গচ্ছিত রয়েছে।
তবে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের কর্মকর্তারা বলছেন, রিজার্ভের অংশ হিসেবে থাকা স্বর্ণের বাইরেও বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের ভল্টে প্রায় ৩ হাজার কেজি স্বর্ণ রয়েছে। এ স্বর্ণের কোনো অংশই কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের আর্থিক প্রতিবেদনের অন্তর্ভুক্ত নয়। চোরাচালানসহ বিভিন্ন সময়ে আইন-শৃঙ্খলা রক্ষাকারী বাহিনী ও কাস্টমসের জব্দ করা স্বর্ণ বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকে জমা রাখা হয়। এক্ষেত্রে কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংক কেবল কাস্টডিয়ান হিসেবে ভূমিকা রাখে। আইনি নিষ্পত্তি শেষে কোনো স্বর্ণ রাষ্ট্রের অনুকূলে বাজেয়াপ্ত হলে সেটি স্থায়ী খাতে স্থানান্তর করে কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংক। বিশুদ্ধ স্বর্ণের বার হিসেবে থাকলে সেটি বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক নিজেই কিনে নিয়ে রিজার্ভে অন্তর্ভুক্ত করে। আর অলংকার হিসেবে থাকলে নিলামের মাধ্যমে বাজারে বিক্রি করা হয়। বর্তমানে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের অস্থায়ী খাতে ২ হাজার ৮৫০ কেজি স্বর্ণ রয়েছে। আর স্থায়ী খাতে স্বর্ণ রয়েছে প্রায় ১৫০ কেজি।
গত এক বছরে বিশ্ববাজারে স্বর্ণের দাম কয়েক দফায় বেড়েছে। এ কারণে রিজার্ভে থাকা স্বর্ণের মূল্যমানও বাড়িয়ে দেখিয়েছে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক। ২০২১ সালের ৩০ জুন রিজার্ভে থাকা স্বর্ণের মূল্য ছিল ৬ হাজার ৭১৬ কোটি টাকা। চলতি বছরের ৩০ জুন রিজার্ভের স্বর্ণের মূল্য ৭ হাজার ৬৬০ কোটি টাকা দেখিয়েছে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক। এ হিসেবে কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের রিজার্ভের স্বর্ণের দাম ৯৪৪ কোটি টাকা বেড়েছে।
প্রায় দেড় বছর ধরে রিজার্ভ থেকে ডলার বিক্রি করছে বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক। আমদানি ঋণপত্রের (এলসি) দায় পরিশোধের জন্য বাণিজ্যিক ব্যাংকগুলোর কাছে রিজার্ভ বিক্রি করা হচ্ছে। শুধু চলতি অর্থবছরের প্রথম পাঁচ মাসেই (জুলাই-নভেম্বর) রিজার্ভ থেকে বিক্রি করা হয়েছে ৬০৫ কোটি ডলার। গত অর্থবছরেও রিজার্ভ থেকে প্রায় সাড়ে ৭ বিলিয়ন ডলার বিক্রি করা হয়েছিল। গত বছরের আগস্টে দেশের বৈদেশিক মুদ্রার রিজার্ভ ছিল ৪৮ বিলিয়ন ডলার। বৃহস্পতিবার রিজার্ভের পরিমাণ ৩৩ দশমিক ৭৯ বিলিয়ন ডলারে নেমে এসেছে। এ হিসাবে এক বছরেরও কম সময়ে রিজার্ভের পরিমাণ প্রায় ১৫ বিলিয়ন ডলার কমেছে। ধারাবাহিকভাবে রিজার্ভ থেকে বৈদেশিক মুদ্রা বিক্রি করা হলেও এ সময়ে মজুদ থাকা কোনো স্বর্ণ বিক্রি করেনি বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক।
বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের সাবেক গভর্নর ড. সালেহউদ্দিন আহমেদ বণিক বার্তাকে বলেন, একসময় স্থানীয় মুদ্রা ছাপাতেও স্বর্ণের মজুদ থাকতে হতো। কিন্তু বেশ আগেই বিশ্ব অর্থনীতিতে স্বর্ণের গুরুত্ব কমে এসেছে। এখন টাকার মতো স্থানীয় মুদ্রা ছাপাতে স্বর্ণের মজুদ থাকার কোনো বাধ্যবাধকতা নেই। তবে রিজার্ভ হিসেবে স্বর্ণের গুরুত্ব এখনো একেবারে হারিয়ে যায়নি। বিশ্বের শক্তিশালী অর্থনীতির দেশগুলো স্বর্ণের মজুদ বাড়াচ্ছে। যদিও আইএমএফ নিজেই অনেক স্বর্ণ বাজারে বিক্রি করে দিয়েছে।
রিজার্ভের ওপর চাপ কমাতে ডলারের বিনিময় হার বাজারের ওপর ছেড়ে দিতে হবে বলে মনে করেন ড. সালেহউদ্দিন আহমেদ। তিনি বলেন, বিনিময় হার নিয়ে চাপাচাপির কারণে রেমিট্যান্স হুন্ডিতে চলে যাচ্ছে। এ কারণে দেশে বৈধ চ্যানেলে রেমিট্যান্স প্রবাহে পতন হয়েছে। আবার রফতানি আয়ও কমে যাচ্ছে। বৈদেশিক মুদ্রা অর্জনের প্রধান দুই মাধ্যমই এভাবে ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হলে দেশের অর্থনীতির ক্ষত আরো গভীর হবে।
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https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/uk-export-may-widen-as-dcts-surrogates-gsp-1676428485
UK export may widen as DCTS surrogates GSP
Leather goods, footwear hold fair export potential besides RMG
MONIRA MUNNI | Published: February 15, 2023 08:34:46 | Updated: February 15, 2023 19:17:14
Vistas for higher exports to the United Kingdom open as UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) surrogates the European Union's GSP facility, and leather products hold untapped prospects alongside apparel.
Such findings come in a research that points out that export potential of Bangladesh's leather goods and footwear remained highly underutilized, thus hindering its contribution to the efforts to diversify the country's export base which has been largely dependent on readymade garments for long.
A stakeholder consultation held Monday in Dhaka on 'Increasing and diversifying exports to the UK under Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS)' revealed that the United Kingdom is a prospective market where Bangladesh can expand its export of leather products and footwear.
Data analysis showed that Bangladesh received US$4.8 billion from exports to the UK last fiscal, and US$4.49 billion of that came from RMG.
In 2021, Bangladesh's exports of leather goods and footwear to the UK were worth only $38 million, a minuscule fraction or only 0.7 per cent of UK's overall imports of over $5.3 billion in the same year, according to data.
Leather goods and footwear exports in fiscal year 2021-22 fetched US$1.7 billion, which is 3.2 per cent of total export earnings worth US$52 billion.
Considering the sector's potential, the government has set a target of earning US$10 to US$12 billion by 2030.
"The UK DCTS can be a game changer for Bangladesh to break into non-RMG export sectors, including leather goods and footwear (both leather and non-leather footwear)," says Dr MA Razzaque, chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), in his keynote paper presented at the meet.
The United Kingdom has introduced its preferential trading scheme for developing countries, called DCTS, this year that marks its departure from the European Union's Generalized System of Preference (GSP).
Under the new scheme, Bangladesh as an LDC enjoys duty-free market access through the DCTS Comprehensive Preferences, and after its graduation in 2026, the country will continue to enjoy the same LDC benefit for another three years until 2029, he noted.
Bangladesh will also get duty-free benefits on more than 85 per cent of its UK-bound product lines under DCTS Enhanced Preferences.
As an LDC, Bangladesh also stands to benefit from more generous UK Rules of Origin (RoO) requirements as the minimum value-addition requirement for LDCs has been reduced to 25 per cent from 30 per cent in half of the chapter headings (48 chapters) defined at HS 2-digit level.
The DCTS removes the requirement for countries to ratify and implement certain international conventions as a precondition for trade preference, he noted.
RAPID is undertaking research and consultation exercises to help Bangladeshi exporters take advantage of the UK DCTS Scheme, he said, adding that the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom has commissioned RAPID to conduct this research and consult stakeholders to determine the best ways to boost, expand, and promote exports from Bangladesh to the UK.
As part of the study, RAPID has identified several potential export sectors for the UK market. Leather goods and footwear are among the most prominent products to unleash their export potential, he noted.
Speakers, however, identified a number of problems like absence of market-related information, British business culture, poor traceability, image crisis over Bangladesh's capability to produce quality goods, issues related to bond licensing, import of chemicals, and shortage of skilled workers that are hindering the sector's export growth.
Only a few companies have environmental certification that matches global standards, they said, adding that exporters can't use local raw materials, especially crushed and finished leather, due to compliance issues.
They stressed effective functionality of CETP and tannery estate at Savar and bringing more companies under the LGW (leather working group)--a global multi-stakeholder community committed to building a sustainable future with responsible leather.
Speaking there, Syed Manzur Elahi, chairman of Apex Footwear Limited, said without ensuring compliance, it is not possible to do business in the sector.
"You can't pollute environment and do business," he said, adding that readymade garment sector has invested huge sum of money to be compliant.
The renowned business entrepreneur in the sector, however, stressed policy supports and one-on-one meeting between buyer and exporter to expand export to the UK.
Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahin, chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters' Association, suggested penetrating in low and mid levels to increase earnings as he said RMG has been performing well due to its reach to mass market.
Raising question over effectiveness of tannery and CETP at Savar, Abu Taher, Chairman of Fortuna Group of Industries, stressed policy support, including resolving issues related to chemical import.
Tania, an SME entrepreneur, identified bond complexities, difficulties in claiming incentives as major obstacles and stressed availability of market-related information, design, and buyer-maker meet to expand market.
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https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/exchange-rate-results-decline-outstanding-external-debt-585374
Saifuddin Saif
15 February, 2023, 11:05 am
Last modified: 15 February, 2023, 12:20 pm
RELATED NEWS
Exchange rate results in decline in outstanding external debt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8-hB9MlPsc
Bangladesh's outstanding external debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio declined to 13.78% at the end of fiscal 2021-22, compared to 16.9% in the previous fiscal year, mainly due to variations in exchange rates, according to recently released data by the Economic Relations Department (ERD).
It resulted in a $4.03 billion decline in the gross foreign loan, and the outstanding amount stood at $55.60 billion last year.
The outstanding external debt was supposed to be a record $59.647 billion in the last financial year. But the amount dropped as the dollar appreciated amid the Russia-Ukraine war and other foreign currencies, including special drawing rights (SDRs), depreciated against the greenback.
According to ERD data, Bangladesh's outstanding foreign debt was $50.879 billion as of fiscal 2020-21.
In the last fiscal year, $10 billion was released in foreign debt. And Bangladesh has repaid loans of $1.526 billion to various development aid agencies.
As a result, the remaining $8.767 billion was supposed to be added to the outstanding debt. But the total foreign loan dropped by $4 billion in the calculation of the ERD.
According to ERD officials, Bangladesh's debt liability has decreased due to the reduction of outstanding debt. This has also reduced the external debt to GDP ratio, which is good for the country.
According to officials, the government is currently in a profitable position on paper. But later, when the dollar rate stabilises, this $4 billion can return to being outstanding.
It is like the stock market. A share of Tk100 increased by Tk200 today, and it will be seen that it has decreased by Tk100 tomorrow. The reason for a valuation adjustment is profit or loss; it must be determined on the basis of facts. When the share is cashed, the amount of profit or loss depends on that time, they added.
Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of the World Bank's Dhaka Office, said that outstanding foreign debt is decreasing in books. Whether Bangladesh has actually benefited will depend on the exchange rate at the time of debt repayment.
"For example, suppose we took a loan in Japanese yen. The agreement stipulates that the loan must be repaid in yen. If one dollar costs 100 yen when I borrow, my liability is 100 yen," he said.
"If the price of one dollar becomes 110 yen at the time of return, then, by buying 100 yen for less than one dollar, we can give back. As the yen depreciates, we will benefit," he added.
The noted economist said that if the dollar depreciates after six months, the debt will increase again.
"Whether we make a profit or a loss depends on the exchange rate at the time of the refund," he added.
According to the people concerned, the dollar has skyrocketed over the past year and a half due to the situation brought on by the Russia-Ukraine war. Again, there is a sign of stabilisation over the last three months.
In this situation, the profit or loss of Bangladesh on its non-dollar-denominated debt, including SDR, depends on the rise and fall of dollar price in the international market.
According to ERD data, of its total foreign loan, Bangladesh has taken the highest 42% in SDR until fiscal 2021-22, followed by 33% in dollars, 16% in Japanese yen, and 3% in euros.
According to officials and economists, due to the exchange rate, Bangladesh often receives an additional amount when taking out loans. In such a recent example, the country is getting $200 million in addition to the loan it had sought from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Originally, the IMF loaned 3.3 billion SDR to Bangladesh, which was first estimated at $4.5 billion. But the country now expects to receive $4.7 billion as the dollar appreciates.
Bangladesh will receive the IMF loan in seven instalments over three and a half years. Whether the country will get the $4.7 billion depends on the exchange rate at the time of the loan's release. The value of SDRs against the dollar may reduce Bangladesh's borrowing capacity. And it may increase the capacity again.
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https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/bn/কালশী-ফ্লাইওভার-খুলছে-১৯-ফেব্রুয়ারি-1676354080
কালশী ফ্লাইওভার খুলছে ১৯ ফেব্রুয়ারি
এফই অনলাইন ডেস্ক | Published: February 14, 2023 11:54:40
মিরপুরের কালশী ফ্লাইওভার আগামী ১৯ ফেব্রুয়ারি খুলে দেওয়া হবে চলাচলের জন্য।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা সেদিন এই উড়াল সেতু উদ্বোধন করেবেন। ২ দশমিক ৩৪ কিলোমিটার দীর্ঘ ফ্লাইওভারটি চালু হলে মিরপুরের সঙ্গে বনানী, উত্তরা এবং রাজধানীর পূর্বাংশের যোগাযোগ আরও সহজ হবে বলে আশা করছে সরকার।
ঢাকা উত্তর সিটি করপোরেশনের মেয়র মো. আতিকুল ইসলাম বিডিনিউজ টোয়েন্টিফোর ডটকমকে বলেন, “প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা ১৯ ফেব্রুয়ারি কালশী ফ্লাইওভার উদ্বোধনের সময় দিয়েছেন। সেদিন উদ্বোধনের পর তা যান চলাচলের জন্য খুলে দেওয়া হবে।
“মাননীয় প্রধানমন্ত্রী বলেছেন, তিনি ওখানে এসে একটি জনসভা করবেন এবং ফ্লাইওভার উদ্বোধন করবেন। মিরপুরে এরইমধ্যে মেট্রোরেল চালু হয়েছে। কালশী ফ্লাইওভার যুক্ত হলে ওই এলাকায় যাতায়াত ব্যবস্থা আরও সহজ হবে। মিরপুরের মানুষের জন্য একটা আশীর্বাদ।”
মেয়র বলেন, মিরপুরের মানুষের একটা দাবি ছিল কালশী ফ্লাইওভার। বিমানবন্দর সড়ক থেকে মিরপুর এলাকায় ঢোকার একটা প্রবেশপথ কালশী সড়ক। তবে ওই এলাকায় সব সময় যানজট লেগে থাকত। যানজটের ভয়ে ১০ কিলোমিটার এলাকা ঘুরে মিরপুর যেতে হত। ফ্লাইওভারের নির্মাণ হওয়ায় আর তা করতে হবে না।
ফ্লাইওভার এলাকায় দুটি ফুটব্রিজ করা হয়েছে, তাতে থাকবে চলন্ত সিঁড়ি। সাইকেলের জন্য আলাদা লেইন রয়েছে।
ইসিবি চত্বর থেকে মিরপুর পর্যন্ত সড়ক প্রশস্তকরণ ও উন্নয়ন এবং কালশী মোড়ে ফ্লাইওভার নির্মাণ প্রকল্প একনেকের অনুমোদন পায় ২০১৮ সালের ৯ জানুয়ারি।
প্রকল্পের আওতায় ইসিবি চত্বর থেকে কালশী পর্যন্ত ৩ দশমিক ৭০ কিলোমিটার সড়ক প্রশস্ত হয়েছে। কালশী মোড়ে হয়েছে ২ দশমিক ৩৪ কিলোমিটার দীর্ঘ ফ্লাইওভার।
চার লেইনের এই ফ্লাইওভারের র্যাম্প তিনটি। ইসিবি চত্বর থেকে কালশী ও মিরপুর ডিওএইচএসমুখী মূল ফ্লাইওভারটি চার লেইনের। কালশী মোড় থেকে কালশী সড়কের দিকে নেমেছে দুই লেনের একটি র্যাম্প।
মিরপুর ডিওএইচএস প্রান্ত এবং ইসিবি চত্বরের দিকের প্রান্ত থেকে ফ্লাইওভারে ওঠা যাবে। কালশী রোড প্রান্ত দিয়ে নামার সুযোগ রয়েছে, ওঠা যাবে না।
প্রকল্পের আওতায় দুইটি ফুটব্রিজ নির্মাণ, একটি পিসি গার্ডার ব্রিজ সম্প্রসারণ, একটি পাবলিক টয়লেট নির্মাণ, দুটি পুলিশ বক্স, ৭ দশমিক ৪০ কিলোমিটার আরসিসি ড্রেন ও সসার ড্রেন নির্মাণ, ১ দশমিক ৭৬ কিলোমিটার পাইপ ড্রেন নির্মাণ, সাইকেলের জন্য আলাদা লেইন এবং ছয়টি বাস বে এবং যাত্রী ছাউনি করা হয়েছে।
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https://bangla.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2023/01/23/1674487998210
ভোলায় নতুন কূপে গ্যাসের সন্ধান, পরীক্ষামূলক প্রজ্জ্বলন
নতুন কূপটি ভোলা সদর উপজেলার দ্বিতীয় এবং জেলায় অষ্টম কূপ
ভোলা নর্থ-২ এর নতুন কূপ খনন শেষে পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে আগুন প্রজ্বলন করা হয়েছে/ সংগৃহীত
ট্রিবিউন ডেস্ক
প্রকাশিত: সোমবার, জানুয়ারি ২৩ ২০২৩ ০৭:৩৩ অপরাহ্ন
ভোলা নর্থ-২ কূপে গ্যাসের সন্ধান পেয়েছে বাপেক্স। এ কূপ থেকে দৈনিক ২০ মিলিয়ন ঘনফুট গ্যাস উত্তোলন করা সম্ভব হবে বলে আশা করা হচ্ছে। বিষয়টি নিশ্চিত করেছেন বাপেক্সের ব্যবস্থাপনা পরিচালক মোহাম্মদ আলী।
সোমবার (২৩ জানুয়ারি) সন্ধ্যার দিকে ভোলা সদর উপজেলার পশ্চিম ইলিশায় ভোলা নর্থ-২ এর নতুন কূপ খনন শেষে পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে আগুন প্রজ্বলন করা হয়।
বাপেক্সের ব্যবস্থাপনা পরিচালক বলেন, “তিন হাজার ৫২৮ মিটার গভীরে গ্যাসের সন্ধান পাওয়া গেছে। বর্তমানে পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে আগুন প্রজ্বলন করা হয়েছে। এখন গ্যাস কূপটিতে ৩৭০০ পিএসআই প্রেশার রয়েছে। তবে এটি আরও বাড়তে পারে।”
নতুন কূপটি ভোলা সদর উপজেলার দ্বিতীয় এবং জেলায় অষ্টম কূপ।
উল্লেখ্য, ২০২২ সালের ১৯ অক্টোবর ভোলায় আরও একটু নতুন কূপে গ্যাস পাওয়ার ঘোষণা দেন জ্বালানি প্রতিমন্ত্রী নসরুল হামিদ। তারও আগে ২০১৮ সালে ভোলা নর্থে গ্যাস পাওয়ার ঘোষণা দেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা। এরপর তিনটি কূপ খনন করলে তিনটিতেই গ্যাস পায় বাপেক্স।
১৯৯৬ সালে ভোলার শাহবাজপুরে প্রথম গ্যাসক্ষেত্র আবিষ্কার করা হয়। তবে ভোলার গ্যাস জাতীয় গ্রিডে যোগ করা কঠিন বলে মনে করা হচ্ছে।
বিদ্যুৎ, জ্বালানি ও খনিজসম্পদ প্রতিমন্ত্রী নসরুল হামিদ রাষ্ট্রীয় প্রতিষ্ঠান বাপেক্সকে ধন্যবাদ দিয়ে বলেন, “গ্যাস অনুসন্ধান কার্যক্রম পরিকল্পনা অনুসারে চালাতে হবে। ২০২২-২৫ সময়কালের মধ্যে পেট্রোবাংলা মোট ৪৬টি অনুসন্ধান, উন্নয়ন ও ওয়ার্কওভার কূপ খননের পরিকল্পনা গ্রহণ করেছে। অফশোর ও অনশোরে গ্যাস অনুসন্ধান ও উত্তোলন কার্যক্রম আরও বাড়ানোর নির্দেশ দিয়ে এসময় প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন, জ্বালানি নিরাপত্তা নিশ্চিত করতে সরকার আন্তরিকভাবে কাজ করছে।”
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TBS Report
15 December, 2022, 02:00 pm
Last modified: 15 December, 2022, 03:31 pm
Prof Saleemul Huq named one of Nature's 10 people who helped shape science in 2022
Dr Saleemul Huq is addressing in a world conference
Bangladeshi scientist Professor Saleemul Huq has made it to the coveted list of people who helped shape the biggest science stories of 2022.
Saleemul Huq, a climate researcher, has been recognised for his role in forcing wealthy countries to pay for the losses and damages from climate change.
The list prepared by Nature – one of the world's top science journals – was revealed on Wednesday (14 December).
The list selected total 10 individuals, from all around the globe, who made key developments in science and helped to make amazing discoveries and brought attention to crucial issues this year.
The other influential figures that made the Nature list, compiled by the journal's editors to highlight key events in science through the compelling stories of those involved, are –
Jane Rigby - helped launch the James Webb Space Telescope
- Yunlong 'Richard' Cao - identified emerging Covid variants
- Svitlana Krakovska - advocated for Ukraine
- Dimie Ogoina - led monkeypox research
- Lisa McCorkell - advocated for long-Covid policies
- Diana Greene Foster - studied abortion ban impacts
- António Guterres - served as UN secretary-general
- Muhammad Mohiuddin - transplanted pig heart into human
Alondra Nelson - informed scientific policy in USA
Recognising Professor Saleemul Huq's exemplary contributions to countries plagued with climate change, British science writer Hassan Ehsan Masood for Nature penned –
In the final hours before the close of last month's United Nations climate conference in Egypt, exhausted delegates slumped on sofas outside the formal meeting rooms. But not Saleemul Huq, who was sitting upright, rapidly checking messages on his phone.
The meeting's final text had yet to be agreed. But Huq told Nature he was confident that negotiators from the world's governments attending the conference would agree to a new kind of climate fund: one that would cover the costs of the 'loss and damage' suffered by climate-vulnerable countries. "Don't worry," he said. "It's in the bag."
And so it was. The final agreement signed in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh includes a commitment to establish a loss-and-damage fund to help lower-income countries deal with the impacts of climate change. That provision is the culmination of a nearly 30-year campaign to get the world's historically high carbon emitters to acknowledge they have some financial responsibility to low-emitting countries that face devastation as temperatures continue to rise. And for more than a decade, that movement's unofficial leader has been Huq, originally a plant biologist who now directs the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Dhaka.
"Loss and damage isn't aid," says Huq. It is based on the 'polluter pays' principle, and that, says Huq, is why it has been opposed since before the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, which gave rise to today's climate agreements. "When money is given as aid, all the power rests with the donor." It's an unequal relationship, he adds.
Huq's experience with the turmoil of international politics started young. He was born in Karachi to parents in Pakistan's diplomatic service, before East Pakistan broke away from West Pakistan to become independent Bangladesh after the 1971 war of liberation. His parents, who opted for Bangladesh, escaped capture by Pakistan's military by travelling overland on a donkey to India through Afghanistan.
Growing up in Europe, Africa and Asia through his parent's diplomatic postings, he developed a passion for science and moved to London 50 years ago to study biochemistry, eventually doing a PhD at Imperial College London. Huq later returned to Bangladesh and co-founded, with Atiq Rahman, the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), an independent think tank focused on environment policy. Bangladesh has a long history of environmental disasters, especially flooding. Huq and his colleagues persuaded their government that it needed an environment department, and that BCAS would be its thinking and research arm. BCAS helped the department to write Bangladesh's first environmental action plan, says Mirza Shawkat Ali, the government's director for climate change.
Huq led the establishment of a worldwide network of experts who work in a branch of development called community-based adaptation, says Lisa Schipper, a climate researcher at the University of Oxford, UK. This long-standing idea, pioneered in Bangladesh, focuses on helping rural communities to find their own research-based solutions to problems, such as improving flood defences or adjusting cropping patterns in response to climate change.
The communities, Huq says, "need to be in the driving seat".
By the 1990s, he had become active in international climate negotiations, as an adviser to climate-vulnerable countries, especially small island states, helping them to put their needs on the agenda in UN talks. The idea of funding for loss and damage gained traction in the years leading up to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, says Achala Abeysinghe, an environmental lawyer now at the Global Green Growth Institute in Seoul, who worked with Huq advising climate-vulnerable countries. Huq's strategy, she says, was to persuade more countries (including China and India) of the case for loss and damage "so the least developed countries and small island states are not alone". But persuading the high-emitting wealthy countries was a tougher task.
An early breakthrough came at the 2015 Paris talks. Article 8 of the final agreement explicitly uses the term: "Parties recognize the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change." But getting those words into the text needed nerves of steel, Abeysinghe says. "We were told that if we insist on including loss and damage, we would be blamed if the treaty failed. But it was an absolute red line. We were ready to walk."
Huq faced the same response from the European Union and the United States at Sharm El-Sheikh. But once again, the advocates of loss and damage held firm as some of the world's wealthiest nations pushed to keep the commitment out of the treaty, says Huq. "We didn't blink."
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https://bangla.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news-414791
কাল উদ্বোধন ঢাকা-আশুলিয়া এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের নির্মাণকাজ
স্টার অনলাইন রিপোর্ট
বৃহস্পতিবার, নভেম্বর ১০, ২০২২ ০৯:৫১ অপরাহ্ন
প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা আগামীকাল বৃহস্পতিবার ঢাকা-আশুলিয়া এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে প্রকল্পের নির্মাণ কাজের উদ্বোধন করবেন।
প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয়ের প্রেস উইংয়ের ফেসবুক পোস্টে এ তথ্য জানানো হয়েছে।
এতে বলা হয়, প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা আগামীকাল সকাল ১০টায় গণভবন থেকে ভার্চুয়ালি এ নির্মাণকাজের উদ্বোধন করবেন।
গত সেপ্টেম্বরের শুরুতে ঢাকা-আশুলিয়া এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে প্রকল্পের জন্য খসড়া ঋণ চুক্তির অনুমোদন দেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী।
প্রকল্প কর্মকর্তারা জানান, চীনা এক্সিম ব্যাংক এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে প্রকল্পের জন্য ১ দশমিক ২ বিলিয়ন ডলার বা ১০ হাজার ২২৬ দশমিক ৫৩ কোটি টাকার ঋণের অনুমোদন দিয়েছে।
মোট ১৬ হাজার ৯০১ কোটি টাকার প্রকল্প ব্যয়ের ৬৫ শতাংশ দেবে চীন।
২৪ কিলোমিটার দীর্ঘ এই এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে চালু হলে হযরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দরের সঙ্গে নবীনগর-চন্দ্রা মহাসড়কের আবদুল্লাহপুর, আশুলিয়া, বাইপাইল এবং ইপিজেডকে যুক্ত করবে।
তবে এ এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে ব্যবহারের ক্ষেত্রে যানবাহনগুলোকে টোল দিতে হবে বলে প্রকল্প কর্মকর্তারা জানিয়েছেন।
প্রকল্পের নথি অনুযায়ী, এই এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে চালু হলে দেশের ৩০ জেলার মানুষ দ্রুত ও সহজে রাজধানীতে প্রবেশ ও বের হতে পারবে।
এর মাধ্যমে দেশের মোট দেশজ উৎপাদন বা জিডিপি ০ দশমিক ২১ শতাংশ বাড়বে বলেও আশা করা হচ্ছে।
অপরদিকে ঢাকা এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের নির্মাণকাজও চলমান আছে। এই এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের সঙ্গে ঢাকা-আশুলিয়া এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে ঢাকা-চট্টগ্রাম মহাসড়কের কুতুবখালী পয়েন্টে যুক্ত হবে।
বিমানবন্দর থেকে বনানী-মগবাজার-কমলাপুর-সায়েদাবাদ-যাত্রাবাড়ী-কুতুবখালী পর্যন্ত ২০ কিলোমিটার এই এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের চালুর সময় সংশোধন করে এটি ২০২৩ সালের জুনে চালু হবে বলে জানানো হয়েছে।
এই দুই এলিভেটেড এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে চালু হয়ে গেলে দেশের উত্তর, পশ্চিম এবং দক্ষিণ-পশ্চিমাঞ্চলের জনগণ রাজধানীর তীব্র যানজট এড়াতে সক্ষম হবে বলে আশা করা হচ্ছে।
রাজধানীর জ্যাম নিয়ন্ত্রণে রাখতে দিনে ট্রাক ও লরি প্রবেশ করতে দেওয়া হয় না। তবে এসব ট্রাক বা লরি এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে ব্যবহার করবে।
জাতীয় অর্থনৈতিক পরিষদের নির্বাহী কমিটির (একনেক) অনুমোদনের পর গত প্রায় ৪ বছর আগে ২৪ কিলোমিটার ঢাকা-আশুলিয়া এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের কাজ শুরু হওয়ার কথা ছিল। আগামী বছরের জুনের মধ্যে এর কাজ শেষ করার কথা ছিল।
তবে চীনা কর্তৃপক্ষ ঋণ অনুমোদনে বিলম্ব করায় নির্মাণকাজ শুরু করা যায়নি।
প্রকল্পের নির্মাণকাজ শুরুর পর ৪ বছরের মধ্যে কাজ শেষ করতে চায় প্রকল্প কর্তৃপক্ষ।
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Locally made jerseys to adorn FIFA World Cup
Refayet Ullah Mirdha
Thu Sep 22, 2022 08:30 AM Last update on: Thu Sep 22, 2022 09:15 AM
Bangladesh is increasingly becoming a source not only for replica football shirts worn by fans but also kits used in practice by players of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup alongside European clubs.
The local knitters also supply jerseys for different sporting clubs globally.
For instance, Chattogram-based knitwear manufacturer Sonnet Textile Industries sent 6 lakh shirts for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to be held between November 20 and December 18.
"I shipped the last consignment in April this year…through buyers as I do not export directly to the FIFA," said Gazi Md Shahid Ullah, one of the company's directors.
He, however, declined to state the price of each shirt.
Shahidullah also said there were bright prospects for sportswear as he shipped $18 million worth of knit products from his factory a year employing 1,800 workers.
Similarly, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, managing director of Narayanganj-based knitwear manufacturer Fatullah Apparels, said he had exported 2.5 lakh shirts for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
He also sent replica kits for supporters of different countries.
This time, Ehsan has not sent any kit for the Qatar world cup.
But he regularly sends official jerseys for Real Madrid Basketball in Barcelona as his factory is an officially nominated supplier of the Spanish professional basketball team.
Every five months, his factory has been sending a good quantity of jerseys for the club, he said.
Currently, he mainly sends jerseys made of cotton of European clubs to his buyers.
The price of jerseys made from manmade fibres are higher than those made of cotton, he said.
"I also think the future of garment business of Bangladesh is MMF (manmade fibre)-made jerseys and sportswear as the demand for these items has been rising worldwide because of changes in fashion and styles," he said.
For instance, many office-going people wear casual dresses like t-shirts, sportwear and lightweight sweaters instead of formal woven dresses made from both cotton and manmade fibres.
As a result, the demand and production of the casual dresses from Bangladesh is also increasing worldwide, especially in Europe and the US, he added.
Mohammad Hatem, managing director of MB Knit Fashions, another Narayanganj-based knitwear manufacturer, said he had sent 12 lakh shirts of eight countries like Brazil, Argentina and some other European ones for the world cup football in Russia in 2018.
In the previous world cup in 2014, Hatem sent 8 lakh jerseys.
Hatem said he has not sent any jerseys for the world cup in Qatar so far.
Regarding profits from the sale of jerseys, Hatem said buyers do not pay anything extra for these being a special kind of clothing.
Recently, the local garment suppliers have been increasing the production of garment items from manmade fibres to gain better prices from international clothing retailers and brands.
They are expecting jerseys and sportswear to play a vital role in achieving Bangladesh's target of earning $100 billion from garment exports by 2030.
Last fiscal year, garment shipment clocked a 35.47 per cent year-on-year growth, netting $42.61 billion. Of the sum, $23.21 billion came from knitwear shipments, which was up 36.88 per cent.
The knitwear items mostly comprised jerseys and sportswear, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau.
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TBS Report
20 September, 2022, 10:55 pm
Last modified: 20 September, 2022, 10:58 pm
Shaking off Covid lull, Bangladesh steel industry eyes global foothold
The Bangladesh steel industry looks to secure a foothold in the global market with the sector beginning to bounce back from pandemic shocks, say industry leaders.
Bangladesh's steel industry is worth Tk55,000 crore ($62 million) and the country is globally the second largest destination for scrap ships and one of the largest ferrous scrap consumers with imports touching 4,000,000 tonnes. Its steel melting capacity is expected to reach 13,000,000 tonnes by 2025, speakers said at the 3rd Steel & Raw Material Conference, Emerging Bangladesh, held in Chattogram on Tuesday.
BSRM Group Managing Director Aameir Alihussain said that the steel industry has gone through a very difficult time due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to an overall cost increase, including in freight charges, raw materials and transport. Then came the Russia-Ukraine war, which pushed up energy prices.
"Being a populous country, economic activities are always vibrant in Bangladesh, China or the South Asian countries. Yet people's lives are affected by the high prices of food and goods. Demand for steel is slightly down at the moment due to rising prices of everything," he said, adding, "We want to meet the domestic needs of the country and capture the world market. We are moving towards that goal."
In the keynote speech, Subhendu Bose, managing director of Singapore's Duferco Asia Pte Ltd, said that between 2017 and 2020 HRC prices ranged between $400 and $600 in Asia. Meanwhile HMS Scrap prices were ranging between $230 and $400. These price bands were maintained by lackluster global growth and stable costs.
"In 2021 the old price range was broken by a period of global steel deficit. Post-covid demand recovery was too sharp for steel production to keep up. In 2022 we have seen a new paradigm as demand is receding at most developed economies due to a combination of factors, including high cost of capital and high cost of energy," he added.
Local and foreign experts spoke at several sessions at the conference on the current situation and prospects of iron and steel products used in the country and abroad, increase in cost of steel raw materials, crisis and overall situation, quality, current sustainable technology, ship breaking industry, modern marketing policy.
Alhaj Sufi Muhammad Mizanur Rahman, chairman of PHP family, inaugurating the conference said, "Steel is the foundation of modern civilisation. The summit will play a positive role in the quality, value creation, and market expansion of the steel industry. All of us should work for the development of this industry."
BSRM Group Chairman Alihussain Akberali said, "This conference is very important for the country's steel sector. Steel product exporters from different countries of the world have participated in the conference. There are the top steel manufacturing companies of the country. It creates an easy connection between all the parties. Communicating directly with so many companies around the world would be expensive and difficult for many companies in the country."
The industry at present
A few days after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, which started on 24 February 2022, the steel market saw a significant steel export reduction from the region. The reduction was due to both military action in the case of Ukraine and western sanctions in the case of Russia and Belarus.
At present steel prices at all the main markets have stabilised, despite the state of steel consumption worsening due to sharp production cuts globally.
"While consumption is going from bad to worse, production cuts have been so big that forecasting market movement in the next weeks is very difficult – the changes are happening too fast and the current supply and demand balance is not clear," said Subhendu Bose.
The conference was arranged to explore key issues like the country's steel production and demand outlook, global scrap trade flow changes, especially in a post-Russia-Ukraine war situation, the ship recycling scene, key emerging sectors, price trends and a lot more.
Market leaders from 29 countries, including the US, Germany, Belgium, Australia, India, Austria, Taiwan, China and Japan, attended the conference.
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Deutsche Bank to commence operations in Bangladesh soon
Published: September 12, 2022 20:43:54 | Updated: September 14, 2022 17:15:36
Deutsche Bank, a German multinational investment bank and financial services company, is expanding its global network with the launch of its first representative office in Bangladesh.
With this new market entry, Deutsche Bank's regional footprint in the Asia Pacific will soon span 15 diverse markets, according to a BSS report that cited a press release issued on Monday.
Responding to strong client demand for trade finance support in this fast-growing country, Deutsche Bank will commence operations in Bangladesh shortly. The representative office will focus on supporting multinational corporate clients, predominantly exporters to Bangladesh.
The bank has hired Syed Naushad Zaman, previously Deputy Head of the Commerzbank Representative Office in Bangladesh, to lead its business in the country.
"We continue to grow and invest in our business in the Asia Pacific," said Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Officer for the Asia Pacific and Member of the Management Board Alexander von Zur Muehlen.
"We are proud that in our 150th anniversary in the Asia Pacific, we are welcoming the 15th market to our strong regional network. Bangladesh is a great example of the significant opportunity that we see for our platform in the region. With its fast-growing economy we enter this market to support its increasing participation in regional and global trade," he added.
Atul Jain, Deutsche Bank Global Co-Head for Trade Finance and Lending, added, "Bangladesh is an increasingly strategic market for both our global multinational and German corporate clients. This representative office reflects our firm commitment to support our clients' evolving risk management and financing needs in this dynamic growth market."
According to the Embassy of Bangladesh, Germany is the largest trading partner of Bangladesh in Europe and the second largest globally. German exports to Bangladesh have tripled in the past 25 years.
In 2021 German exports to Bangladesh recorded a 45 per cent increase to $877 million. At almost $400 million, just under half of this was machinery and equipment.
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Genex Infosys appointed for VAT collection for three years
The firm to install 0.30m VAT collecting machines in Dhaka, Ctg
Published: September 14, 2022 18:41:00
Genex Infosys Limited, a leading IT service provider, will provide and install 300,000 VAT collecting machines in Dhaka city and its adjoining areas as well as in Chottagram city in the next three years.
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) at a meeting on Wednesday approved a proposal of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to select Genex Infosys as a vendor to collect value added tax (VAT) on behalf of the government.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee attended it, reports UNB.
Genex Infosys was selected through an open tender, said the additional secretary of the Cabinet Division Abdul Barik while briefing on the decisions of the committee.
He said the Genex as a lowest bidder won the contract in three lots to supply and install Electronic Fiscal Device (EFD) and Sales Data Controller (SDC) or VAT collecting machines at different types of retail shops.
Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its nod in principle to this decision of NBR on August 31.
Barik said the vendor will supply and install the machines at its own cost and in return, it will get 0.52-0.538 per cent of the collected money as a service charge while depositing it to the government.
It will also carry out the operation and maintenance work as well, he added.
According to NBR officials, it’s not possible for the government to operate so many machines across the country, that’s why service outsourcing is being done.
However, installation of EFD machines started two years ago but there is not much speed in its operation.
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First Bangladesh-made ocean-going ship exported to UK
The ship has a 4,130 horsepower engine and can reach speeds of up to 12.5 nautical miles/hour
Photo of the oceangoing high-speed, multipurpose container vessel Dhaka Tribune
Tribune Report
September 13, 2022 3:44 PM
Bangladesh has for the first time exported an oceangoing high-speed, multipurpose container vessel to the United Kingdom (UK).
Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd handed over the ship to its UK buyer, Enzian Shipping Company Ltd, on Tuesday at an event held at the InterContinental in Dhaka.
The 364 feet long, 54 feet wide and 27 feet deep ship has a 4,130 horsepower engine and can reach speeds of up to 12.5 nautical miles/hour.
The ship, with a capacity of 6,100 deadweight tonnage, was built entirely in Narayanganj's Meghnaghat.
Talking with Dhaka Tribune, Dr Tariqul Islam, executive director of Ananda Group, said: “In 2008 we first exported a ship to Denmark and now we have exported to the UK. It is also the first time that the UK has imported a ship from Bangladesh.”
“This vessel can transport any kind of dangerous cargo, except nuclear waste, and it is an ice class vessel that can move smoothly, breaking four feet of ice on the ocean. This ship also can run without a captain’s assistance in its engine room for up to 16 hours,” he added.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, who attended the handover ceremony as chief guest, said: "Bangladesh today has completed the export of a modern multipurpose container ship to the UK. This is a proud day for us all."
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the current government attaches great importance to the shipbuilding industry. Therefore, it has become easy to export ships for the private companies of Bangladesh. This sector will play a big role in the economy of Bangladesh soon,” the state minister added.
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Exploration, Mining Industries and Mineral and Natural Resources of Bangladesh
in Energy & Power
Posted
দেশে নতুন গ্যসক্ষেত্রের সন্ধান ll Gas Field ll Bhola
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ssnZkNmbg4