NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan: The uncertainty may exacerbate

NATO has finally ended its 13-year 'war on terror' in Afghanistan, leaving the country in the grip of worsening insurgent violence. At a closed-door ceremony, NATO Commander American General John Campbell, addressing the attending soldiers said: "You've made Afghanistan stronger...

DSE registers 14.03pc year on year growth

The prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) registered a 14.03 per cent year-on-year growth in the outgoing year compared to previous year despite favourable economic factors and political stability. "The country's stock market passed a relatively stable year...

Some manage modest growth,others see decline

The un-audited operating profits of the country's private commercial banks (PCBs) got into a mixed bag in the just-concluded calendar year, primarily due to the swelling of non-performing loans (NPL). Bankers attributed the fall in operating profits of some larger...

Taxmen trim tax revenue target for FY \\\'15

Prevailing political uncertainty and macro-economic situation have made the task of meeting the target of attaining 9.79 per cent tax-GDP ratio in the current fiscal year (FY), 2014-15, difficult, taxmen said. After analysing the relevant indicators of tax-revenue collection, they...

Portfolio investment marks 34.3pc rise

Net foreign investment in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) jumped to a record Tk 26.08 billion in 2014, registering an increase of 34.3 per cent over the previous year amid growing confidence and a positive outlook about the Bangladesh's market...

Integrated management of water in today\\\'s world

Time is running out, so is water. The reality points to decreasing per-capita availability, degrading water quality, increasing competition/conflict within sectors and within society, urban versus rural scenarios --- haves versus have-nots --- upstream versus downstream flows, national versus international...

Improving competitiveness of the economy

Bangladesh, geographically, has its border with India on three sides - west, north and east - and a narrow strip of land of Myanmar in the east. On the south lies the Bay of Bengal with its warm blue water....

Urgency for uniform codes and regulations for elevators

Elevators constitute an integral part of high-rise buildings and as such  safety of the elevators deserves special attention. The high-rise buildings are aplenty in the major cities of the country. It is likely to spread to other small towns also...

As US-led combat mission ends, Afghan women fear oppression

No one ever claimed responsibility after a suicide bomber rammed into the vehicle of celebrated female parliamentarian Shukria Barakzai. She walked away from the wreckage after the November 16 blast that killed three civilians and wounded 20. The Taliban often...

Hong Kong economy becomes intertwined with mainland

When Xi Jinping wanted to deliver a political message to Hong Kong as protesters demanding free elections were threatening to take to the streets, he summoned the tycoons who dominate the city's economy. The words from the Chinese leader at...

Cloud business a harder sell in post-Snowden era

This spring, Taser International Inc won a small but high-profile contract to supply body cameras to the London police. But the deal nearly collapsed over one issue: where the video footage would be stored. In the end, the deal survived...

Trade bodies to come under govt scanner

The government is planning to bring the country's around 900 trade-bodies under its scanner to help increase their efficiency and ensure good governance on their part, officials said. "We are contemplating to work on the issue to ensure more operational...

Erosion in value of Taka continues

The Bangladesh Taka (BDT) shed its value slightly against the US dollar in 2014 as the country had to make increased import payments in the last two months of the outgoing calendar year, bankers said. In the process of exchange-rate...

‘Stable’ yet moribund

The Bangladesh stock market has passed yet another uneventful period during the outgoing calendar year 2014.   Except for a few orchestrated brief flare-ups, the market has been dull and drab throughout 2014. The so-called reforms, most of which have remained...

Kidney dialysis project under PPP may not be operational before June \\\'15

The first project under Public Private Partnership (PPP) for installing kidney dialysis equipment is not likely to be operational before June, 2015, officials said. Since the formulation of a policy and devising strategy on PPP under the Prime Minister's Office...

Is NGO Bureau ready to take additional responsibility?

Planning and doing something are two aspects of the same goal. Planning is needed to do something and a job is incomplete until it is done. There are two distinct and separate ways of achieving the goal. One needs to...

All\\\'s well that ends well: How was 2014?

What kind of year has 2014 been for all of us? Has it been a year of moving forward or paddling backward, or of accomplishing significant goals, of garnering pleasant experiences, or of enduring disappointments and suffering pains? Was it...

Arabs endorse Palestinian UN draft urging end of Israel occupation

Arab UN delegations on December 29 endorsed a Palestinian proposal to forge a peace deal with Israel within a year and end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by late 2017, despite fierce Israeli and U.S. opposition. The timing for a...

Critics ask how AirAsia jetliner went missing in age of GPS

Air travel advocates are demanding global aviation authorities explain how an AirAsia jetliner with 162 people aboard got lost at a time when satellites and webcams monitor society's every move. "It should be impossible for an airliner to go missing"...

Their nation in pieces, Iraqis ponder what comes next

The machine gun poking out from between a framed portrait of a Shi'ite imam and a stuffed toy Minnie Mouse was trained on anyone who approached the checkpoint. Like dozens of other communities in Iraq, this small Sunni settlement in...

Stocks end higher on year\\\'s last trading day

The last trading session of the outgoing calendar year ended positive Tuesday with turnover improved slightly as investors took position on lucrative stocks amid optimism. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) went up by 50.80 points...

The New Year and Naba Barsha

The ancient people used to celebrate the New Year at harvest time. The rituals they observed purified them for the New Year. At least that is what they left behind. Today, the New Year kicks off on the eve of...

Access to food versus nutrition

Availability of food in the market is not enough for achieving food security. In a market economy, the access to food depends on four elements: (a) production-based entitlement that depends on the ownership and operation of land, (b) trade-based entitlement...

Harnessing energy efficiency

Bangladesh is an energy-starved country. The ever-increasing demand for energy is exerting pressure for effective steps to generate more power to meet the daily requirements. To face it, the government has already implemented many expensive quick rental power plants. Moreover,...

Quest for a rational arrangement for import of gold

For centuries gold set the world alight with its magnetic charm, triggered wars and gold rush, shaped the world of fashion and inspired poets to write verses. In the modern world, apart from its cardinal role as jewellery, gold serves...

Plea to introduce spot settlement of listed corporate bonds

The premier bourse has sought a directive from the securities regulator to introduce the spot settlement of the listed corporate bonds to make such instruments more transaction-friendly as per global practice, officials said. Presently, T+2 and T+3 trading cycles are...

Pvt clinics prosper as equipment in state hospitals kept out of whack

An unholy nexus between public hospitals and private diagnostic centers renders medical and pathological machines and equipment in government health facilities inoperative, forcing affluent patients to go to private clinics. Physicians in several government hospitals in Dhaka said a large...

Counterfeiters fashion fake cosmetics as law enforcement agencies sit idle

Adulterated cosmetics and toiletries under the false names of leading local and foreign brands are randomly sold in markets across the country, putting public health at risk, industry people and pour enforcement officials say said. Many of the users of...

China threatens to pull out funds unless layout finalised

Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed expressed the fear that the Tk 2.10 billion fund the Chinese government promised for construction of the proposed 'Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (BCFEC)' at Purbachal in the capital may be withdrawn unless necessary steps are taken,...

In US-Cuba prisoner swap, mystery surrounds the unnamed 53

Cuba's most prominent dissidents say they have been kept in the dark by U.S. officials over a list of 53 political prisoners who will be released from jail as part of a deal to end decades of hostility between the...