Insightful reads on PMB engineering excellence

Multinational consultancy stakes are embodied in the Padma Multipurpose Bridge that now sparkles over the devastating waves of one of world's most turbulent rivers. The PMB project has taken different kinds of consultancy supports from international firms and experts of...

Padma Bridge . . . leap of faith across the waters

There is a literary, indeed a near religious quality which has come to be attached to the River Padma across the generations. It has been and is part of the folklore which has underscored Bangladesh's cultural traditions. The turbulence of...

BD to amend labour law with EU recipe

The government is working to amend the labour law with some suggestions on rights issues made by the European Union and the International Labour Organisation.Sources say a high-powered working committee comprising representatives from government agencies, apparel sectors and labour organisations...

India seeks temporary permission

Dhaka is considering Delhi's proposal for using Bangladesh territory to transport fuel oils and gas from Meghalaya to Tripura as catastrophic rains and landslides in northeastern India halted vehicular movement there.The High Commission of India recently sought permission to carry...

Padma Bridge Not just a structure

Building bridges over rivers, mighty or otherwise, is a routine affair. Scores of bridges, made of mortar, gravel and steel, have been constructed for decades across the world. Most are small and medium, and a few have greater width and...

Iconic bridge opens today

A farfetched dream comes true finally as the Padma Bridge, which speaks volumes about an epical effort for conquering a turbulent river and formidable hindrances, opens today to cheers. The government, the partners and a brigade of consultants and engineers...

Are bike riders a menace?

Though it sounds rather trite to say that nothing happens in this world without a cause, it is still the case that people often forget this commonsense maxim. Consider the recent furore over the rising number of motorbikes on the...

Economic worries weigh on investor sentiment

Stocks extended the losing streak for a second straight week to Thursday as cautious investors continued dumping their holdings amid persistent macroeconomic worries.The week saw five trading days as usual with the first three days losing 114.08 points while the...

Uniform toll won’t start from June 26

Uniform toll collection on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway would not start along with the Padma Bridge toll operation as was planned with effect from June 26, officials said.As a result, vehicles crossing the Padma Bridge would have to stop three times...

City of gardens vs city of rickshaws

In the Ease of Living Index, Bangalore officially Bengaluru ranked number one in 2020 and 2021 among the Indian cities with a population of over 1.0 million. There may be other contenders with sparse population, where people go for a...

Govt moves to ensure Russian wheat supply

The government has made a move to ensure continued wheat supply from Russia in the upcoming fiscal year (FY), 2022-23, to boost food security in the country. As part of the moves, the Ministry of Food (MoF) officials are going...

ADB may lend $2.3b under dev recipe

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) may pledge to lend Bangladesh US$2.3 billion during 2023-2025 under an overall development recipe, at a time when the country launches a search for foreign-exchange support. Regarding the financing programme the ADB is finalising indicative...

Multiple foreign consultancy stakes in Padma Bridge

At least 10 foreign consultancies from countries across the world provided supports as Chinese engineers built Bangladesh's longest bridge over the mighty river Padma, officials say ahead of its grand opening.The consultancy firms are from the United Kingdom, Japan, India,...

Matarbari seaport construction going on in full gear: Officials

CHATTOGRAM, June 22: The construction work of Matarbari Deep Seaport is going on in full gear. The deep seaport, first of its kind in Bangladesh and construction of which began nearly 17 months ago, will be built in two phases,...

Film festival, devoted to women behind camera

After much anticipation, the premier screening session of the Women's Lens International Short Film Festival (WLISFF) was held at Alliance Française in Dhaka on June 17. The event was organised by the Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) in collaboration with...

The priorities . . . when the waters recede

It is all depressing mathematics we have before us. With 94 per cent of Sunamganj under water, with more than 84 per cent of Sylhet submerged, the message comes loud and clear. It is that in the days and weeks...

Understanding LC clause imperative to avoid trade disputes

Letter of Credit (LC) clauses determine the requirements of documents to be presented as well as conditions to be fulfilled by the parties involved in international trade. Non-fulfilment of LC terms creates disputes. So before execution of any trade transaction...

BRTC bus service likely after inauguration

The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) plans to start bus services with all south-western districts through Padma Bridge after its opening on June 25.After groundwork, the BRTC has decided to start the services from the same day the bridge opens...

What Sylhet floods signify

Heavy downpour for days together in the Meghalaya and Assam states of India has inundated thousands of villages there. As a result, the major river systems of this region, the Brahmaputra and the Ganges, are overflowing. Bangladesh, particularly, its northern...

Depot fire: why firefighters had to die

Yet another distressing and catastrophic fire coupled with sporadic explosions -- this time at BM Container Depot Ltd in Chattogram's Sitakunda Upazila -- took a toll of around 46 lives and left over 200 other people injured. Transgression of laws...

Rains rule roost in port city, Ctg div's two dists

CHATTOGRAM, June 19: Incessant rains heavily disrupted normal life in the port city on Sunday. The local meteorological office recorded 105 millimetres (mm) rainfall in the port city in the last 24 hours ending 3:00pm on Sunday. It was raining...

Govt gives directives on project priorities

Government high-ups ask the ministries and departments concerned to concentrate on timely implementation of ongoing projects instead of taking less-important new ones to stay within means in crunch times.In a recently issued 15-point directive, officials say, the Prime Minister's Office...

Make road usable under Hanif Flyover, say experts

Concerns have been surfacing about expected snarl in and around Padma Multi-purpose Bridge from more than a week before its opening to the public transport in later part of the current month. Getting worried about the possible traffic congestion at...

Midland Bank to go public

Midland Bank Limited (MDB) has planned to raise Tk 700 million through Initial Public Offering (IPO) subscription by the final quarter of this calendar year to expand its capital base, the bank's top executive has said."We're working to issue the...

Four killed in Ctg hillslide

CHATTOGRAM, June 18: At least four people died in rain-triggered hillslide in the port city on Friday night.Incessant rains in the last couple of days inundated all low-lying areas of the southeastern divisional city.Weathermen and geologists warned that the continuous...

Improving country's FDI profile in the run-up to graduation

When Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal while unveiling the national budget for the next fiscal year (FY '23) in parliament on June 09, laid emphasis on many issues. Attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) was one of those. "Our goal...

Efforts on to ensure integrity in BD financial system

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has taken various measures to prevent money laundering as well as terrorist financing, in order to ensure stability and integrity in the country's financial system."We're working continuously to handle the problem," Md Masud Biswas, head...

Govt mulls hiring PMB staff for other purposes

The government is contemplating accommodating its recruited staff for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project for other purposes, though there is no legal scope to consider them for another project.More than 150 staffers engaged in the bridge project have been...

WTO strikes deal on vaccine, food, e-com, fisheries

Hard bargains among World Trade Organization (WTO) members were finally capped with a package deal on patent waiver allowing cheap vaccine production, food security, fostering electronic commerce and fisheries subsidy cuts.However, the least-developed countries couldn't get their main gaol through...

Stocks tank as budget fails to attract investors

Stocks drifted lower in the first week after unveiling the national budget as investors were not happy with the budgetary measures on the capital market.Week on week, DSEX, the key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), shed 54.56 points or...