Sushma Swaraj\\\'s visit of hope

The visit of Sushma Swaraj has ended quietly compared to the media hype that the country witnessed leading to it. The ruling party wanted desperately to show the people of Bangladesh that the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government would treat...

Foreign buyers now looking to Bangladeshi leather goods

Leading manufacturers of leather goods are turning to value addition to their products as the demand for high-end items is increasing significantly in recent times with foreigners turning their eyes to Bangladesh, industry- insiders said. A large number of new...

Trains take risk as upgrading rail routes limps along

Bangladesh Railway's projects to upgrade railway tracks on different routes to two-way lines are moving slower than expected, officials said, while the popular mode of transportation still largely remains outmoded. The Railway has three ongoing and three proposed projects to...

FBCCI to cooperate with govt\\\'s market monitoring efforts during Ramadan

The country's apex trade body will cooperate with the government in its ongoing efforts to monitor the kitchen markets to check artificial price hike during the month of Ramadan, a top business leader said. "We are ready to cooperate with...

Importance of vocational education in Bangladesh

The Prime Minister inaugurated ceremony of "Technical and Vocational Education Week 2014 (June 18-24)" in the capital city Dhaka. In the ceremony she has stressed the need for flourishing science and technology in vocational education. It means she has given...

MoC set to build exhibition centre at Purbachal

The ministry of commerce (MoC) is set to construct an exhibition centre at Purbachal in the capital this year with an initial cost of Tk 2.75 billion, a high trade official said. The structure will be built on 20 acres...

Arbitration a must before going to labour court

The government is going to make it mandatory for both employees and employers to try to settle their individual-level disputes through arbitration before going to court. The move is meant for quick resolution of disputes outside the legal system under...

JS adopts Finance Bill today

The Finance Bill 2014 is set to see some major changes, including continuation of tax exemption on capital gains for individual stock investors, when it is placed in parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) today (Saturday) for adoption, competent sources said.   Finance Minister...

IGW operator Kay likely to lose licence

The international gateway (IGW) operator Kay Telecommunication Limited is likely to lose its operating licence soon over non-payment of its outstanding dues. Sources with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said the BTRC already completed necessary paperwork to give the...

DFID\\\'s MRA project extended by one more year

The Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom has extended a project aimed at strengthening the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) by one more year. Under this programme, the DFID provided Tk 370 million to support the MRA in...

Challenges still remain on three main fronts

Three major challenges still remain over construction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line from Gazipur to Airport despite the progress made in preparing its detailed design. Sources said the most troubling challenge for the Tk 20.45 billion project, meant...

Is this Obama\\\'s \\\'malaise\\\' moment?

President Barack Obama's situation is getting perilously close to President Jimmy Carter's in 1979. Americans see little evidence of an economic recovery, more and more workers are giving up hope of ever finding a job, the burden of student loan...

Analysing budgetary measures

The national budget for the fiscal year 2014-15 is the 6th consecutive one of the incumbent octogenarian and scholarly finance minister. He has performed his part very eruditely, professionally and with a practical vision. The vision has been critically misconstrued...

Making rice production profitable makes good economic sense

If rice becomes scarce domestically, the domestic price will rise and automatically make export less profitable. The government of Bangladesh (GoB) can smooth this process by holding stocks of rice, much as it does now, but with a somewhat different...

Innovative way of empowering women

The Adolescent Development Programme (ADP) of BRAC, reportedly incepted since 1993, could be considered one of the most innovative approaches to women's empowerment in rural areas. It is neither microcredit nor ivory tower meetings on empowerment. It is rather some...

Thai military government tightening its grip

Thailand's military junta has asked people to provide it with anti-government information in exchange of financial benefits. It has outlawed all kinds of demonstrations and protests against its rule. The authorities are hell bent on stifling the voices of people...

Share prices end higher

Stocks posted modest gains last week that ended Thursday as investors were on a spree buying shares of banks, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and power sector companies. The buyers evinced interest in banks, fuel and power and NBFI stocks as...

Getting rid of traffic jam in Dhaka city

Dhaka metropolitan city is one of the most overcrowded and jammed cities in the world. The population of the city exceeded 15 million, unusually high to accommodate the large population within the small area of land. The city's population has...

The dread called honour killings

'Honour killings' are on the rise in the Muslim countries including Canada. According to the United Nations Population Fund, approximately 5,000 women and girls are murdered every year in so-called honour killings around the world. Why do conservative parents want...

An appraisal of PM\\\'s visit to Japan, China

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has visited Japan and China in less than two weeks' time. It attaches a significant importance to bilateral economic cooperation and further strengthening of diplomatic ties with the two Asian giants. She has sought financial...

No, Tiki-Taka brand football is not to blame

A general impression is that Vicente del Bosque has presided over the funeral of Tiki-Taka football -a brand that has conquered everything to do so in football. Even great Maradona has seen the end of the art that Pele once...

Tax-free limit for stock market capital gain likely to be raised

The government is set to raise the tax-free limit of capital gain for individual stock market investors to Tk 2.0 million from Tk 1.0 million proposed for the next fiscal. Individual investors are likely to be required to pay 2.0...

Research findings on some educational issues

The Foundation for Research on Educational Planning and Development (FREPD), situated on the Dhaka University campus, is a non-political, non-profit, voluntary organisation devoted to research on educational issues. The aims of the FREPD are to promote, sponsor, organise, develop and...

Harnessing full potential of rice production

The long-run economic potential of Bangladesh cannot be realised unless the people feel confident about the first item on most people's budget -- food. With a population of about 150 million and a projected population of about 220 million by...

On expansion of tax net

Much initiative has been taken to increase tax collection from the potential sectors. In a unique move, the tax authority has moved to scrutinise income tax files of some 150 top physicians of the country following alleged mismatch between their...

Capital flight leaves the country anaemic

First the central bank of Switzerland came up with the explosive news that the deposits by Bangladeshi citizens with different Swiss banks rose by 62 per cent year-on-year to 372 million Swiss franc (Tk 32.36 billion) at the end of...

Resurgence of sectarian identities in the Middle East

Thirty-five years ago Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran chanting "death to America." But today Iran wants to work with the United States to stabilise Iraq while negotiating a deal on its nuclear program. The journey from death...

Harsh realities in power sector

The greatest World Cup show began on June 12. Ramadan also begins by the last week of June. Demand for power will be at the highest during this time. People will have to suffer loadshedding this time because of the...

Physical infrastructure versus good governance

Bangladesh has seen asymmetrical results from investment in education. Pre-primary and primary education have received somewhat positive evaluation in terms of almost 100 per cent enrolment in primary schools, gender parity, reduced dropout and improving quality; shortage of qualified teachers...

Energy-efficient brick kiln projects honoured

The country’s first ever energy-efficient brick kiln project to earn carbon credits, Improving Kiln Efficiency in the Brick Making Industry in Bangladesh, Thursday celebrated the distribution of the revenue generated by its first sale of emission reductions to the World...