LDCs concerned over slow global trade

Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) came up with a gloomy projection of global economic growth. Prior to the annual spring meeting of the Fund and its twin, The World Bank, the projection appears disappointing. IMF projected the global...

Tk 4b RMG remediation fund remains idle

Some Tk 4.0 billion fund for remediation of ready-made garment (RMG) factories has been idle following poor demand from the owners due to 'unfavourable' interest rate, sources said. They said the country's RMG entrepreneurs feared getting indebted through borrowing at...

Capital dredging cost may go up by Tk 590m

A move is underway to raise the cost of capital dredging of 24 inland river routes by Tk 590 million citing the reason of increase in labour cost and dredging area, officials said. The project has also sought one-year extension...

Ensuring an enabling environment for investment

There's no alternative to production and investment to compete and to survive in this globalised world. Investment means expansion, modification and change in businesses and industries. An investor takes risks and invests money in businesses and industries and spurs economic...

Ideas on women empowerment

One of the most visible aspects of recent changes in rural livelihoods is substantial increase in women's access to credit. According to researchers, although women predominate in membership of NGOs (non-governmental organisations) through informal group mobilisation, the major thrust has...

WB to give technical aid to BB to recover $81m

The World Bank (WB) has assured the Bangladesh Bank (BB) of providing necessary technical supports for recovering the stolen $81 million from the Philippines, officials said. Two senior WB officials gave the assurance at a meeting with senior officials of...

Metro rail project hits snag

Despite the government's topmost priority, the project authority is yet to overcome the challenges of setting up the 20-kilometre metro rail line from Uttara to Motijheel in the city. Sources said the authority has been facing problems due to non-cooperation...

Tanners miss deadline again

The tanners at Hazaribagh in the capital are yet to start relocating their units to Savar even after the government has turned down their plea for more time. However, they want to remain in Hazaribagh area till next Eid-ul-Azha, considering...

Improved technologies to combat air pollution

Air pollution is a major issue around the world. It kills seven million people annually-one in every eight people that die around the world. And, of course, air pollution is a well-known and much-complained-about fact in Bangladesh. Few major global...

Relocation of tanneries, factories must but not at the cost of leather sector

Leather and leather goods is one of the most potential sectors of Bangladesh economy.  It employs about 1,80,000 people directly. This sector includes about 3,500 micro, small and medium leather goods factories with about 110 large industries. The sector is...

Taking quake warning seriously

Mother Earth is evidently in convulsion. Its pent-up anger is looking for avenues for its release. Some of the most active zones of the planet are so much in turmoil that the phenomenon called quake is happening much too often...

When old is not gold

'Build new, forget about the old ones' seems to be the guiding principle of the public sector development programme. That the government is pursuing this principle quite religiously is very much evident from the allocations it makes in the annual...

Private referral hospitals come under NBR scrutiny

The customs wing of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has embarked upon the job monitoring the compliance with the condition attached to the duty-import of medical equipment and machinery by the country's private referral hospitals. The NBR-set condition for...

Ten cos grab upto 46.5pc of DSE’s total turnover

Some 10 listed companies have been playing the role of market movers continuously capturing a significant portion of the daily turnover witnessed by Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Since April 3 to April 13, out of 311 listed companies, only 10...

The risks of China\'s failure - and success

As the world's financial leaders gather in Washington, DC, for the annual spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), their hopes - and fears - centre on China. After all, China is the one country that might be able...

Trust and confidence -- sine qua non for the banking sector

In an era of 24/7 media transmission, commonplace topics like the importance of trust and confidence in the banking sector of Bangladesh are not drawing significant public attention. The ink is rarely dry on one story before the next begins....

Construction work of Padma bridge yet to gather pace

Construction of Padma bridge and river training work are yet to start in full swing as project's two foreign contractors still find themselves in a difficult situation to confirm the design. Sources said the Chinese contractors could not confirm trial...

Govt launches probe into salt price hike

The government has launched an investigation into price hike of salt with a view to digging out the causes of the rising price of the essential item during recent days across the country, officials said. As per of the move,...

Epyllion vows to epitomise business model

Though Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a voluntary initiative by a corporate entity, to Epyllion, CSR is a sine qua non to take the responsibility of the society. "… I tell you there is no loss in CSR, if you...

Female leadership and education:is there any relation at all?

One of the most consistently documented relationships in the field of political behaviour is the close association between educational attainment and political participation. For some scholars, the reason for this relationship is clear: education gives citizens the skills and resources...

World Autism Awareness Day and Bangladesh

Satellite channel RTV in its program on Autism telecast on April 2, 2016, the 9th World Autism Awareness Day, we watched a programme participated by affected parents. We listened to concerned State Minister, an NGO leader and other officials on...

Can money buy happiness or is it a spoiler?

In folklore or fairytale, one comes across stories about a king for a day or a few hours as a reward for saving the life of a member of the king's family or for some other good work. Kings or...

Corporate governance: The role of Institute of Directors

"Corporate governance is not working in the United States in the way it should. The problem is not the system of laws, regulations and judicial decision which are the framework of corporate governance.  It is the failure of too many...

Policy changes for nutritional improvement

Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) is a multi-country engagement of research in establishing the nexus between agriculture and nutrition. Funded mainly by the British Department for International Development (DFID), the research project produced a number of insightful...

FireEye findings on BB cyber burglary by Apr 30

Mandiant, a FireEye company, will submit its final forensic analysis report on the cyber burglary of Bangladesh Bank's Fed reserve account by April 30, officials said. The cyber-security firm of the United States will place its findings with the authorities...

Are we prepared for harnessing ‘demographic dividend’?

Bangladesh has been facing significant changes in its demographic structure. The country is at the stage where it can start utilising demographic dividend that will last around the year 2040, as per economists. The demographic dividend is referred to the...

Career quest: Job fair at UIU

United International University Career Counseling Centre (UIU CCC) along with Jobsbd  and UIU HR Forum organised a job fair titled 'Career Quest 2016'. The event was held from 27th March 2016 to 28th of March 2016 at UIU premises. The...

Cultural ‘invasion’ and safety of women

No matter what the media vehicle is, each and every day we encounter numerous news on harassment, extortions, blackmailing, rapes and murders. It seems like our women have been targeted for being harassed and murdered without receiving justice. If we...

Tax havens exposed: Implications for SDGs

Several international organisations are working to unveil the secrecy of so-called tax havens or offshore jurisdictions across the world. Their efforts enhanced significantly in the last few years with some success as international media and civil societies also finally acknowledge...

Pahela Baishakh and Bengali ethos

Baishakh this year - 1423 - is yet to show its full fury. Last year it came with a bang, not a whimper. The end of Chaitra last year was characterised by storm and heavy shower that grounded kaccha houses...