Political impasse slows down ADP utilisation

Utilisation of Annual Development Programme (ADP) funds by the ministries and divisions has slowed down due to the political impasse, official sources said. "The ADP implementation rate dipped in the recent months due mainly to ongoing political unrest ahead of...

Sale of blankets, warm clothes gaining momentum in city

With the advent of the winter sale of warm clothes and blankets has started gaining momentum in the capital. Customers, mainly the limited income group of people, thronged different makeshift shops in Gulistan, Ramna Bhaban, Baitul Mukarram and GPO areas...

Cooperatives engaging in gold mortgage

The authorities have started probe into allegations that some multi-purpose cooperative societies (MCS) are allegedly engaging in 'unlawful' credit operations through gold mortgage, officials said. The Department of Co-operatives (DoC) authorities started the investigations following hundreds of complaints against dozens...

Preserving agricultural lands a national imperative

There should not be the faintest doubt and hesitations as regards the necessity of taking appropriate measures to save agricultural fields in a land-scarce, densely populated country like Bangladesh. Bangladesh with an area of 147,570 sq. km. (square kilometres), has...

Standardisation of elevators

Multi-storeyed and high-rise buildings are now being constructed in the big cities. These are driven by the extreme necessity to accommodate more people through minimising horizontal expansions as well as utilising space-efficient strategy. Moreover, it is envisaged that this trend...

Rohingya issue receives greater focus - but much needs to be done

Former US President Bill Clinton is the last important international figure to visit the South-East Asian nation Myanmar when he made a surprise visit to the country on November 14 and called upon all concerned for cessation of the sectarian...

Telecom experts lay stress on unique method to make mobile banking service easier

Telecom experts, both from operators and regulators, Friday stressed the need for a unique method to make financial transaction under the mobile network easier, paving the way for safe conduit of many transactions. They observed that many problems remain their...

Stocks extend gaining streak for 4th week

Stocks gained sharply last week, extending the gaining streak for the fourth straight week amid the investors' growing confidence and apparent stability in the market. The week witnessed five trading sessions as usual and the market posted an impressive gain...

Contribution of Begum Rokeya to transforming women’s world

BEGUM Rokeya (1880-1932) is the iconic role model of Muslim women’s renaissance of the 20th century who, for the first time, had raised voice against gender biased religious and social discrimination. She led the movement for women’s education and awakening...

Development of tourism human resources

The experiences of last few years show the trained-up people of tourism and hospitality sector are comparatively quickly employed than those of other sectors of Bangladesh, Prof Ahasanullah, Head of Tourism Dept of IBAIS University viewed. The WTTC revealed in...

Democracy disgraced in the name of upholding it

This is no normal time for Bangladesh as politics has turned both acerbic and mindlessly cruel. Between October 26 and November 13, as many as 26 lives perished, 76 sustained burn injuries -many of them severely and more than 1,500...

About 2000 exporting cos in city \\\'disappear\\\'

The customs authorities have identified more than 2000 exporting companies, located in and around the capital city, as being inactive for years, though these have taken the advantage of bonded warehouse facility to import duty-free raw materials. The bonded warehouse...

BB guideline to curb terror financing thru\\\' NGOs, NPOs

The central bank has issued a guideline to check terrorist financing using non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations (NPOs), officials said Thursday. Under the new provisions, the NGOs and NPOs will have to submit suspicious transaction report (STR) or suspicious...

MRA helps MFIs raise loan disbursement

Loan disbursement of top 20 non-government organisations-microfinance institutions (NGOs-MFIs) increased significantly by 188 per cent in last 5 years since the formation of regulator Microcrdit Regulatory Authority (MRA) These top 20 NGOs-MFIs disbursed Tk 566.77 billion in 20 years before...

BD to push GSP, RMG in post-deal meeting

Bangladesh would press for preferential market access for its apparel items and revival of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) in the first meeting after signing the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TICFA) with the US on November 25 in...

High tax level and spectrum fee affect telecom business, says Telenor Group CEO

Norwegian telecoms group Telenor, parent company of Bangladeshi operator Grameenphone, is focusing on data centric business in Bangladesh with the slogan of 'internet for all.'   The group is taking multi approach initiatives to leverage the internet facility in the country...

Brokerage firms confident of weathering present crisis

The brokerage firms nowadays are in a break-even state due to reduced load of business activities. It will take time to fully overcome the 'crisis' that ensued following the 2010-11 stock market debacle, stock brokers said. Even three to four...

The plight of the shrimp post-larvae collectors

Five masked armed men tied up the hands of 7-8 fishermen behind their back.  One muscular man ordered all to kneel. A bearded man lay senseless being beaten severely. "I will kill you all unless you pay ransom," the pirates...

Health implications of climate change

Climate change has the potential to impact on any health outcome that is seasonal and associated with weather and climate variations. In addition, many key determinants of human health, such as food and freshwater availability, are strongly influenced by weather...

Securing future of children

The Universal Children's Day observed on November 20 every year in many countries of the world allows its variants in different countries to be celebrated depending on local conditions and significance of the occasion. In India the day is observed...

Formalin use and the law

Thin-film solar power plant performing impressively

The first and only 100 kilovolt (KV) thin film module-based solar power plant in Gazipur is successfully generating electricity with impressive efficiency. This first-ever experience of success could be utilised in different parts of the country for bigger solar power...

Telecom leaders for joint approach to build stronger broadband infrastructure network

Telecommunication leaders at a UN-sponsored conference said Tuesday a collaborative approach is necessary for building stronger broadband infrastructure network to accelerate growth in the developing nations. The leaders also urged governments and regulators to turn their focus on sectors like...

Oct investment proposals fall by half over restive politics

The Board of Investment (BoI) saw a drastic fall in investment proposals from both local entrepreneurs as well as joint ventures with foreign companies in October last to the prevailing political tensions. Insiders said the investors lost their confidence because...

TCB to import 300 tonnes more onion from Myanmar

The state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will import 300 tonnes more onion from Myanmar to cool down the market prices in the local market. With this end in view, the corporation has completed all necessary formalities for direct procurement...

Ananda Group gets approval for building container port

The government has granted approval to Ananda Group to establish a container port on the bank of the Meghna river in Naraynaganj district, sources said. It will be the country's fifth inland container terminal (ICT) in private sector. Earlier, the...

Disbursement of farm credit grows by 24pc

Farm credit disbursements grew by nearly 24 per cent during the first four months of the current fiscal year (FY) 2013-14, as the central bank is continuously persuading the banks to increase lending to farmers. "We've strengthened our monitoring and...

Formalin use and the law

The newspapers find a spark of optimism in the passage of a law restricting the indiscriminate use of formalin. But such naked eye observation often fails to distinguish between what can be achieved by imposing law and when it should...

Keeping a wary eye on custodial torture

The notion of 'custodial violence' includes all types of wanton acts that cover physical and mental torture inflicted upon a person in police custody. It is a brutal and inhumane treatment to a person that often includes death and torture...

Increase in drug prices: Should it be like that?

The leading pharmaceutical companies are riding roughshod over the consumers as far are drug prices are concerned. An extra-strong Paracetamol (a combination of paracetamol and caffeine) tablet, produced by these companies, now costs Tk 3.0. For the last couple of...