Bay of Bengal: Fighting against trans-national maritime crimes

Maritime security in the 21st century poses new challenges and needs more strategic mechanism to face these. Much importance has been given to internal and regional security by combating land-based trans-national crimes and terrorist activities. But maritime security remains less...

Containing fire incidents in Dhaka

Fire incidents in the capital city, particularly in its old part, appear to be common occurring at regular intervals. Such incidents leave dozens killed and hundreds injured ever year. The recent fire incident at Nawab Bari in old Dhaka has...

Socio-economic aspects of Qurbani

Qurbani is an important religious rite performed by the Islamic world as an expression of obedience to Almighty Allah and sacrificing everything to seek His pleasure and nearness. Allah commands, "Therefore, to thy Lord turn in prayer and sacrifice (108.2)"...

Belly dancing for IMF reform

There has been a crying need for structural reform within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a long time. The required reforms fall in the areas of representation, governance and funding. In spite of acknowledgement of the need for reform...

Uproot illiteracy, the root cause of economic backwardness

The globalised world of 21st century, as we know, is more advanced in terms of science, technology, education and culture. People of all sectors-- specially the rich, ultra-rich and the educated ones-- relish the fruits of lives. In this scenario,...

BEZA getting free hand to act expeditiously

Government authorities have decided to empower Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) to act expeditiously for development activities in the special zones meant for boosting investment, officials said. The prime minister's office (PMO) took the decision, in principle, at a progress-review...

DTAs lack provisions to seek info on capital flight

The avoidance of double taxation agreements (DTAs) of Bangladesh do not sufficiently empower the taxmen to seek information on capital flight and owners of 'second homes' from relevant foreign countries. The section 'Exchange of Information' of the agreements needs necessary...

Artificial limb manufacturing project at NITOR going on in full swing

The project of manufacturing artificial limbs to be set up at the national orthopaedic hospital with assistance from the Thai government is going ahead in full swing, sources said. According to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) sources,...

Unrest worries, cos’ weaker results down stocks

Stocks plummeted last week and key index of the prime bourse dipped below 5,100-mark as worries over political unrest dampened investors' sentiment. "The investors were in selling spree throughout the week as the week-long countrywide strike following war crimes verdicts...

How to deal with state-owned enterprises

Our experience of denationalisation (privatisation) of state-owned industrial and commercial enterprises is far from pleasant. There are reports of flagrant violations of the terms of transfer by the transferee on the one hand, and failure to restart the units on...

Modernisation of banking: Global and Bangladesh perspectives

Modernisation is evolutionary and inevitable. It got further momentum with the advent of fast-track technology developments around the world. We now live in a digital age. This has led to dramatic changes in the global economy, especially in financial innovations...

Rural development in the Digital Age

Can the current situation be termed satisfactory? Around 1.3 billion without access to clean water; about half of humanity lacking access to adequate sanitation and living on less than two dollars a day; approximately two billion without access to electricity....

Listed pharma groups post phenomenal profit

Profits of listed pharmaceutical companies showed robust growth in the past three quarters of this year, driven by growing demand, industry-insiders said. To keep pace with demands, the entrepreneurs diversified products and expanded marketing, helping the life saving sector to...

Violence against women and increased rate of divorce

IN Bangladesh, the current increased rate of divorce by women to their husbands shows that their married lives are not as happy as they dreamt before their marriage! Recently, I have talked to some women of different ages, different professions...

Significance of Nobel Peace Prize 2014 for subcontinent

Surely it is a breath of fresh air for the people of the subcontinent to see Pakistani Malala Yousafzai winning Nobel Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi. I have crossed age 73 and fellow septuagenarians have seen three periods of history...

Protecting the lives of babies

Rahim, one-year-old baby of Sokhina Khatun, resident of Kotagram village in Abhoynagar upazila of Jessore, was getting weaker day by day. The baby has been suffering from different health problems. A health worker (nutrition) of BRAC one day visited his...

A vital tool for poverty alleviation

Waqf means appropriation of the property with its separation from private ownership and dedication of its usufruct to charitable purpose. The history of Islam shows that Quba mosque in Medina was the first foundation which was endowed by Prophet Mohammad...

Fading glory of hartal

So the past week went waste on account of hartal, complain many. But ask the tiny tots who did not have to attend schools, the answer may a different one. Even many of the Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinees might...

NRCC yet to be fully functional for lack of logistic support

The National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) is yet to start its full functioning after two months of its formation due to lack of logistic support and required number of manpower, officials said. It has now only two members out of...

Move on to build $50m ‘faulty’ flyover-tunnel in front of PMO

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has taken a move to build a 'faulty' flyover-plus-tunnel in front of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to lessen traffic pressure on Old Airport Road in the capital. It will be built discarding the previous...

Imports grow by 11pc in Q1

The country's overall imports grew by nearly 11 per cent in the first quarter (Q1) of the current fiscal year (FY), 2014-15 due mainly to higher import of fuel oils and capital machinery, officials said. "The upward trend of overall...

Report on Jubok money return by November 15

A government-appointed administrator may revive and run the beleaguered Multi-level Marketing (MLM) outfit Jubok to help out a large number of its swindled members.              Official sources gave such an idea as a government-formed eight-member committee on the scam by the...

Lankan president seeks Supreme Court nod for third term

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked the Supreme Court to determine if there is any constitutional obstacle to his becoming president for a third term, something the top lawyers' association says he cannot do. Rajapaksa and his family have...

India defies the world in food-stockpiling row

India defied the world this week in a row over food stockpiling that has crippled attempts to reach a global trade agreement, raising doubts that backroom talks can reach a compromise before a Group of 20 summit this month. At...

Making the world a better place for children

25 Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Is the world a better place for children? Published by UNICEF ISBN: 978-92-806-4765-5; September 2014, 122 page The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) articulates, for the...

Taking on black money holders

In a move unprecedented in Indian and perhaps in any country's history, Narendra Modi's government in India submitted names of 627 black money holders to the country's Supreme Court (SC) in a sealed cover on Tuesday. This followed the earlier...

American voters snub Obama: Republicans now control Congress

America's underperforming economy has been an albatross for President Barack Obama since he took office in 2009 and likely did his Democratic party few favours in midterm elections on Tuesday (November 04) -  but it may not have been the...

Effects of blockade on livelihoods of the poor

Since the independence of the country, Bangladesh never experienced political unrest like the prolonged blockade (70 days) during October-December 2013 that traumatised the entire nation, affected social, economic and all other aspects of life with severe negative effects on the...

Stocks end flat amid low turnover

Stocks ended flat in positive zone Thursday after three sessions’ fall with sluggish trading activities as investors followed cautious stance amid the nation-wide strike. The market opened with a positive mood in the morning, which continued till the market closure...

DSE, CSE up at opening

Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed positive trend in early hours of trading on Thursday amid the nationwide general strike. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by 14.94 points or 0.29 per cent...