Local branded apparel, leather goods replacing foreign ones

Local branded apparel and leather goods are gradually replacing the foreign ones. As a result, the volume of imported products has fallen sizeably in recent times, industry insiders said. For world-class quality and reasonable prices, customers now prefer local branded...

Separate directorate for madrasas, why not for secondary schools?

Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) is the parent of junior secondary, secondary, madrasa and college level education of Bangladesh. The administration of these institutions across the country is run and controlled from DSHE exhibiting the typical form of...

Old TINs won\\\'t be valid for presentation at service points

The holders of old tax identification number (TIN) would not be able to avail various services using the same from the current fiscal year as the tax authority has decided to make the e-TIN only valid for the purpose. Twenty-five...

China invites BD to join Asian infrastructure bank

China has formally invited Bangladesh to join its initiative to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a founder-member, sources said. The bank, with US$100 billion as its capital, is scheduled to make its debut by the end of...

Export of pharmaceutical products up by 20 per cent

The export of pharmaceutical products over the last three fiscal years (FYs) increased on an average by 20 per cent every fiscal. The products are now being exported to more than ninety countries across the world. The exports stood at...

Stocks return to the fast lane

Stocks returned to the green last week that ended Thursday after the previous week's major correction as optimistic investors took position on lucrative stocks. The investors were also stimulated with cashing out tendency throughout the week over upcoming Eid festival...

Why hurry for road repair now?

"Hurry spoils the curry" is a proverb and it looks like our policy-makers do not agree with the inherent message. If not, the dynamic communications minister would give a second thought before ordering the ministry officials and engineers to repair...

ATM booths to improve law and order

We live in a society where corruption, robbing, stealing and mugging are increasing day by day. These problems often make the headlines in the dailies in our country. We have become almost accustomed to seeing news that somebody has been...

AIIB in Bangladesh perspective

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang when they visited Southeastern Asian countries in October of 2013, is being seen as a threat to the Asian Development Bank's dominance in this...

Harnessing youths\\\' potential for development

Young people in any country represent the future of that country. They have a vital role to play in the development of the country - a duty they must perform. There are many ways that youth can contribute to national...

Rebuilding railway network

To make train a popular mode of transport only ensuring comfortable, safe and economical journey is not enough. Easy accessibility and connectivity with the railway stations from all locations of the city are also important. Therefore, a short trip to...

Newspaper industry passing thru\\\' tough time

The newspaper industry has been passing through a tough time. Can it compete with the electronic media? Both audio and visual needs satisfying the demand of the readers are met through electronic media. The advertisements also gain momentum in electronic...

Love and piety decide value of a gift

A great festival brings both the best and the worst in man. One of the reasons why economy goes bubbling at this time is that people go on a spending spree. The 'shopaholics' in particular are so frenzied about their...

Hefty TCB subsidy yields little impact

The large sum of money given by the government in subsidy to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) every year appears to have largely gone to waste as it yielded little benefit to the people. The amount of subsidy for...

Further trade liberalisation under SAFTA in the offing

Trade and Economic Affairs Ministers from eight South Asian countries will meet in Thimpu next week to decide on further trade liberalisation under the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, sources said. Before the meeting titled 'SAFTA Ministerial Council',...

BSEC identifies areas of discord with BB

The securities regulator has opposed some clauses in the proposed Finance Company Act (FCA), 2014 to avoid possible conflicts with the central bank while regulating subsidiaries of finance companies, officials have said. The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) submitted...

MRA to seek new restructured organogram with more posts

The microcredit regulator is going to seek restructured and expanded new organogram of 265 positions instead of previously proposed organogram of 207 posts to meet the demand of the sector which has expanded substantially over the years. The new organogram...

Girl Summit in UK on July 22

Bangladesh is going to participate in the Girl Summit in the United Kingdom as a progressive partner and highlight the government's commitment to eliminate child marriage by incorporating it in visions 2021 and 2040, sources said. They said though the...

Nadine Gordimer: Writer and anti-apartheid activist

South African author and 'crusader for equality', Nadine Sylvia Gordimer passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 13, 2014, at her home in Johannesburg at 90 years of age. The country's ruling African National Congress (ANC) praised her as...

Honesty in public life a rare quality

These days honesty in public life appears to be a rare quality, although it has not completely vanished. Simplicity is missing from politics much to the concern and anxiety of the people, who want to see a clean image of...

Eliminating threat to safe foods

The day the High Court issued directives, binding as it is on the government, to bring an end to the malpractice of chemical treatment of fruits, a factory producing spurious ghee (clarified butter) at the city's Begumbazar was unearthed by...

Applying \\\'knowledge management\\\' in banks for buoyancy

The recent large-scale financial scams in banks and financial institutions in Asian countries including Bangladesh, in Africa, the European Union and the United States and the ethical scandals from Enron to WorldCom, have brought to the fore once again the...

Banking sector: Beware of scamsters

'Robbery' and 'misappropriation' are two different words having quite a similarity in meaning. But sometimes we get confused as the dividing line between the two often gets blurred. The embezzlement of funds that happened in the banking sector over the...

Jordan reluctant to host US-led Syria rebel training

Jordan, where the US Central Intelligence Agency has been covertly training Syrian rebels for more than a year, is reluctant to host an expanded rebel instruction program, US officials said. Jordan's reticence, confirmed by four US officials, is a potentially...

Stocks close flat amid choppy trading

Stocks ended flat on Thursday amid choppy trading throughout the session as investors followed cautious stance. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSEX) ended at 4,392.15 points, gaining only 2.79 points or 0.06 per cent from previous...

Stocks see positive trend at opening

The prices of most of the shares on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw positive trend in early hours of trading on Thursday, the last trading day of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the...

Taxing interest on securities backfires

Both market operators and the central bank are in favour of withdrawing the recently-imposed upfront tax on interest on government securities in order to maintain the development of the bond market. According to them, such tax is creating an adverse...

Govt to cancel licences of 16 cos

The government is set to cancel the licences of nearly a half of the 32 private companies, given approval to import or build container vessels for inland water transport sector, sources said. The decision is taken, as some 11 companies...

UN under secy gen Ladsous due on July 22

Under Secretary General (USG) of the United Nations' Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Hervé Ladsous is expected to arrive in the city on a three-day visit to Bangladesh on July 22. This will be the first visit of the USG...

Bangabandhu Satellite Project may get final govt nod by month-end

The much- hyped Bangabandhu Satellite project is expected to get final nod from the government by the end of this month, a top official working with the project said. The project has been revived as the Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh...