Syngenta to strengthen operations in B’desh

Syngenta is committed to serve the farmers and agriculture sector using modern technologies to help ensuring food security in Bangladesh, the company's top executive said."We'll continue to strengthen our operations to serve the farmers of Bangladesh," Erik Fyrwald, Chief Executive...

Global politics for a globalised economy

From the end of World War II to the mid-2010s, economic globalisation progressed relentlessly through expanded trade, proliferating capital flows, faster (and cheaper) communication, and, to a lesser extent, human migration. Yet, even as these linkages have deepened and multiplied,...

Beyond academic performance, soft skills are crucial

Many of the artists currently topping the musical charts at home and abroad used to be theoretically illiterate when they started producing music. They started building upon their passion at a certain point of their lives and acquired the skills...

Three die in Sylhet road crashes

SYLHET, Aug 08 (UNB): At least three persons including a teenage boy were killed in separate road accidents in Gopalganj and Fenchuganj upazilas on Wednesday and Tuesday night.In Gopalganj, two persons were killed while two others injured in a head-on...

Fasten your seatbelts for Autonomous Vehicles

While having a cup of coffee after my tour at BMW Welt in Munich, Germany, this year in January, I was imagining the future of a car, which will not require me to control it physically. But I can talk...

Minimising risks of road accidents centre

Road accidents are unfortunately on the rise in Bangladesh, and a majority of these road crashes are caused by human errors. It is very important to drive carefully and follow all traffic laws and rules. Recall what happened on July...

Rise of Imran Khan in Pakistan

In the age group of septuagenarian, we obviously had interest in the proceedings of the general elections in Pakistan held on July 25. There were allegations of rigging and behind-the-scene exercise of influence. Some also threatened to reject election results....

Inward remittances may cross $17 billion this fiscal: BB

The central bank expects the overall inward remittance to cross the $17 billion mark by the end of fiscal year (FY) 2018-19.Multiple moves are already in place to spur inflows."We've estimated considering previous trends and other recent developments like higher...

Tobacco packs show low GHW compliance in BD: Study

Compliance level of placing graphic health warning (GHW) in packets of Bidi and smokeless tobacco (SLT) is low in Bangladesh; though there exists a relevant law, which was enforced in March 2016.The GHW is not placed in the appropriate place...

No headway in introducing company-based bus system

The government is still reluctant to launch company-based bus service in the city although, transport experts think, it could solve traffic-related problems including reckless driving and overtaking.They said Dhaka Bus Network Company or BusNet would help stop unhealthy competition among...

NBR tax e-payment system goes bust

The much-touted online tax payment system of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has gone bust for a distinct lack of proper initiatives.The revenue authorities apparently look apathetic to continue with the digital payment system.Officials said Datasoft Systems Bangladesh Limited,...

Mystique surrounding Trumpian worldview, its pathology

President of the mighty United States of America Donald Trump continues to treat a bewildered world with shock and awe. Grim and frightening as many of his moves seem to be, these are also often quite funny and would have...

Shadow economy dominates the transport sector

Road transport of the country is plagued with innumerable problems. The commuters face hassles on a daily basis. Inadequate and ramshackle buses, small vehicles, unplanned stoppages, disorganised routes, dilapidated roads and inefficient traffic management are taking a heavy toll on...

Changing the rotten system

The student movement for road safety shows no sign of ebbing. Now the question is, how long it can maintain the momentum. That a number of ministers including the home minister have admitted that the students' demands are reasonable and...

Wiser than parents

The country has been witnessing a 'revolution' of a different kind -one that is spreading like wildfire throughout the country. It is by the students for the people. The 'revolution' relates to the mismanagement in the transport sector that hugely...

Going cashless, led by Sweden

Sweden is rapidly moving away from cash. Demand for cash has dropped by more than 50 per cent over the past decade as a growing number of people rely on debit cards or a mobile phone application, Swish, which enables...

Checking money laundering

Money laundering is having a negative impact on the economy of Bangladesh. Top economists of the country are of the view that urgent steps are needed for preventing illegal money transfer to foreign countries. Money is transferred in many ways....

Taxmen can now conduct enquiry for prosecution

Taxmen will be able to conduct enquiry and investigation for prosecution purpose on tax-related offences from the current fiscal year (FY), 2018-19, officials said.The government, through a new provision in the Finance Act 2018, has empowered the tax authority to...

Most of the vehicles on the roads go berserk

We cannot keep ourselves confined to the four walls of our house all the time. We are to go outside on the roads out of necessity and may have to ride transport vehicles to reach some desired destinations. These days...

If Trump ruled Venice

Marco Polo, the famous thirteenth-century Venetian merchant, was one of the first Europeans to trade with China. Now imagine that, after a while, the Venetian state became concerned that Polo was purchasing too many silks and spices from China to...

Most NBFIs witness fall in H1 EPS

The earnings of most of the non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) plummeted in the first half (H1) of the current calendar year compared to the same period a year ago.According to the un-audited financial statements for the period of January-June 2018,...

Jute farmers to get loans at 4.0pc interest rate

Textiles and jute ministry has decided to offer loans at 4.0 per cent interest rate to farmers, officials said.The loans will be disbursed from the proposed Tk 100 billion Jute Sector Development Fund (JSDF).The ministry made the decision a recent...

No visible progress in offloading SoEs’ shares

Offloading of shares of multiple state-owned enterprises (SoEs) still lies in limbo mainly due to procedural complexities, sources said.Finance Minister AMA Muhith at a review meeting in August 2017 asked the authorities concerned to make the SoEs profitable and then...

The cognitive limits of lifelong learning

As new technologies continue to upend industries and take over tasks once performed by humans, workers worldwide fear for their futures. But what will really prevent humans from competing effectively in the labour market is not the robots themselves, but...

Impact of entrepreneurship and innovation

An entrepreneur is a person who has control over an innovative enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and outcomes of the company. These companies are normally in the process of expansion and they explore opportunities...

CSR initiatives for socioeconomic development

Previously business entities were established only for profit generation and enhancement. As this changed over the years, now, corporate entities have some obligations towards society, besides generating profit for themselves. These obligations fall under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). More and...

Connecting farmers, raising income

Predominantly, rice has been influencing the Bangladeshi food plates. But that trend seems to have trimmed a little bit. The reasons are not far to seek. Urbanisation, with one-third of population living in the cities, sustained income growth. This was...

Ensuring transparency in revenue mobilisation

Taxation, undoubtedly, is one of the major sources of revenue for meeting the country's budgetary expenditures with a view to accomplishing socio-economic objectives, such as redistribution of income, price stabilisation, discouraging harmful consumption and ensuring proper representation of the tax-payers...

Trade war: The lesson of the Great Depression

When countries get nervous about their security, they often insist that they need to reduce their dependence on foreign products, shorten supply chains, and produce more goods domestically. But does protectionism really improve security? Now that the world is hovering...

How lubrication management can save millions

Anything known as viscous does not mean it is lubricant. There are so many confusing perceptions among us regarding machine lubricants and its cost analysis. We are losing millions in dollar due mainly to lack of knowledge or proper practice....