Power : Strange delay in opting for the best option

The daily production of power in the country is far short of its effective total demand at around 5000 mw. Total production of power by the government's Power Development Board (PDB) being in the neighbourhood of some 3,200 mw or...

news digest

Philippines unrestMANILA, Aug 27: The top rights official in the Philippines Wednesday raised alarm over the rising human cost of an army offensive against Muslim rebels in the south, saying civilian deaths had gone unreported. Monitors on the ground have...

Credit flow to private sector goes up by 25pc in FY '08

Credit growth to the private sector had recorded a significant 25 per cent rise in the fiscal 2008 (FY08) against that of the previous year.The rise was mainly due to recovery of losses caused by natural disasters and global price...

Musharraf's departure: What

EXIT of Musharraf was fated; it was brewing with the war on terror, tottering economy, assassination of Benazir Bhutto last December, the humiliating defeat in national elections in February at the hands of opposition parties-the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and...

BB seeks opinions from stakeholders

The central bank has sought opinions from stakeholders including banks on using mobile phone network for money transfer by September 10 next.The central bank sought their opinions at a review meeting held at the central bank Tuesday with Bangladesh Bank...

Meeting the first condition of poverty alleviation

The country took its first donor-driven poverty reduction strategy in 2003. Though implementation of the poverty reduction targets in line with the design of the strategy paper remained a far cry, the interim government, which inherited the Poverty Reduction Strategy...

Corporate social responsibility: Idea that encompasses the globe

The ongoing globalization process implicates the enterprises from industrialized countries are paid to greater public attention. The public expects from them to take ethical and social responsibility -- not only in their own country but also in all countries which...

The dilemma over foreign aid

Does Bangladesh need foreign aid?None, including Finance and Planning Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam and economists of repute, while attending a CPD (Centre for Policy Dialogue) dialogue, seemingly, was certain that the country could manage without foreign aid.But most speakers felt...

Energy ministry seeks $300m BB credit to foot oil import bills

The Energy Ministry has sought US$300 million fresh credit from the central bank through the three state-owned commercial banks to finance import of petroleum products by the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC)."We have requested the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to provide the...

To whom did Musharraf surrender?

Pervez Musharraf may be gone, and it is tempting to conclude that his downfall will now help Pakistan galvanize democracy. But a certain degree of misgivings still exists among political thinkers who say Musharraf's departure will not solve Pakistan's problems....

Developing more productive workers

A recent ILO report emphasised that 20 to 35 per cent of the labour force in Bangladesh engage in at least 50 hours of work per week. This is reflective of the tenacity of the workers in this country. The...

Pakistan without a khaki-clad president looks un-Pakistani

The process of our cognitive impression, a part of our genetic behaviour, is based on what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we taste---and what we read in newspapers and what we view in audiovisual media like...

WTO and after

THE World Trade Organization (WTO) came into being in Marakkesh on January 1, 1995 following the successful completion of eight years of prolonged negotiations from 1986 to 1994 as a sequel to the Uruguay Round (UR) of negotiations. The organization's...

sports digest

BEIJING, Aug 24: China's central authorities Sunday congratulated the Chinese athletes on their "achievement of a major historic breakthrough" and "significant contributions" to the Beijing Olympic Games. "The motherland and people feel proud of you. We extend warm congratulations and...

news digest

US Ambassador to ChinaBEIJING, Aug 24: The US Ambassador to China is pressing Chinese officials to immediately release eight Americans who were detained for holding pro-Tibet protests during the Olympics. Ambassador Clark T. Randt Jr. says in a statement Sunday...

CRP: proper enforcement remains the key

The anxious wait for a law that would protect the consumers from the unholy desires of the unscrupulous traders seems to be over. The council of advisers last week approved the Consumers Rights Protection Ordinance, 2008.After making a few amendments...

Delayed formation responsible for ineffectiveness of TAC

The academics, lawyers and business people have expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) because ot its delayed constitution.An ordinace providing for the formation of the TAC was promulgated on June 5 and later it...

US team on labour review mission in Bangladesh

A United States assessment mission is now visiting Bangladesh to review labour laws and rights situation in the country's main export-oriented manufacturing sectors, officials said Sunday.A three-member team, led by a technical officer of the United States Agency for International...

Wife influenced Obama to deny Hillary as running mate?

NEW YORK, Aug 24: The euphoria Obama created has now evaporated. He now leads John McCain by a mere two percentage point. South Asian Americans feel Obama has allowed the US presidency to slip out his clutch by not naming...

Marked rise in industrial credit disbursement

Industrial credit disbursement recorded a significant rise by over 66 per cent in the last fiscal against that of the previous fiscal (2006-07).Bankers are hopeful about the continuation of the upward trend in industrial credit distribution due to growing credit...

Govt to set up SEZ Authority by year-end to boost investment

The government is set to establish a Special Economic Zone Authority by year-end to speed up local and foreign investment in the newly-fashioned industrial parks, an official said Sunday.The chief advisor's office is now scrutinising the final draft of a...

Can the EC hold the polls in December?

For obvious reasons all eyes are now set on the Election commission (EC). The political parties and other stakeholders are getting apprehensive of the situation. The question is whether the EC would be able to complete registration and the reforms...

Fly ash of Baropukuria Coal Mine remains unused, dumped

NILPHAMARI, Aug 24: Fly ash at the Baropukuria Coal Mine worth hundreds of thousands of taka are being wasted as there are buyers of the by-product. Fly ash is an important component for producing cement and it constitutes around 20...

Einstein's faith and struggles

Is the aphorism that great men think alike always true?And as many believe, do great minds think in a way different from lesser mortals? Since the beginning of the modern liberated era of human thinking, the minds of great thinkers...

Power, gas crises stunt knitwear export growth

Around 2000 knitwear manufacturers of the country are facing difficulties in meeting the growing demand from overseas buyers as frequent power outages and shortfall in gas supply were impeding the production capacity, industry insiders said Friday.They said each and every...

Radisson at top among posh hotels

Three posh hotels -- Radisson, Dhaka Sheraton and Pan pacific Sonargoan -- paid over 27.28 per cent of total sales as value added tax (VAT) in fiscal 2007-08.There are 1,855 quality hotels and restaurants across the country.According to statistics of...

The small to the rescue of biggies

NEW YORK, Aug 22: The process of small unhindered bank taking over big beleaguered bank has started. The first transaction was inter-continental, an American bank taking over a German bank which sounds rather unusual at a time when the all...

Pakistan after Musharraf

General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has been exercising overlordship over the affairs of Pakistan for nine long years till his resignation which was really the outcome of arm twisting of him from behind the wings to do so. The days now...

news digest

election on Sept 6ISLAMABAD, Aug 22: Pakistan will hold a presidential election on September 6, the election commission said today, following the resignation of Pervez Musharraf this week. "Presidential elections will be held on September 6. The nomination papers can...

Israeli arms sales won't push Russia into enemy hands

Russia is courting Syria in a way not seen since the days of the Cold War. Syria's President Bashar Assad is in Moscow for a two-day visit at the invitation of Dmitry Medvedev, his Russian counterpart.Some observers believe Damascus could...