Carmichael College reunion-2008

For a few days there was great excitement in our family, as the reunion of former students of Carmichael College was approaching. Although, I did not give any importance to the matter, but the excitement reached a peak and I...

Solar-powered iPhone on the way?

Apple has taken a stand to using solar cells in its mobile devices. A recently published patent application discovered by MacRumors.com, who focus on Apple's news and rumours, reveals that Apple is studying the possibility of the use of solar...

news digest

devolution planCOLOMBO, May 31: Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tigers have rejected government plans to devolve more power to the island's north and east and killed 31 troops in the latest fighting, a pro-rebel website said Saturday. The head of the...

Penal rates to be specific

The government has decided to bring a major change in the existing income tax law to facilitate declaration of any lawfully earned undisclosed income detected by taxmen during assessment.However, the taxpayers concerned will have to pay a specific rates of...

Education with other life-supporting training

It is very common to see guardians to be worried about good result of their kids. They become proud when they know their son/daughter has stood first in exam. Many guardians neglect the development of other skills in their kids....

Philippines to boost subsidies

MANILA has said it will increase subsidies to help poor households cope with rising food and energy prices as soaring inflation and slowing economic growth take their toll on the country.The move came last Thursday as the Philippine government said...

Fellowship news

Application Deadline: Ongoing through September 30, 2008The Justice and Journalism Fund supports in-depth, high-quality news stories and commentary.The fund was established by USC Annenberg's Institute for Justice and Journalism (IJJ) through a Ford Foundation grant to provide direct support to...

'The interest is really a turning point this year'

CHAD Hurley, a 31-year-old user interface expert, and a couple of friends stumbled on the idea for YouTube just over three years ago when they wanted to share some videos and found existing services too clunky. By October 16 2006,...

Political stalemate over the 'national dialogue'

So the inevitable has happened as predicted by this scribe months before and published in the esteemed dailies about the fate of the so-called "dialogue" with the political parties specially led by two "major" ones who now refused to participate...

city events

champions in Nat'l Roller SkatingRoyal Club Limited emerged champions in the 2nd National Roller Skating Championship that concluded at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) Friday. Royal Club Limited secured 12 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals while Rollers Skating...

Reversing the trend of global warming

Climate change is not a subject of fashionable scientific or pseudo-scientific discourse. It is now a life and death question of the human race. That the Arctic ice may melt is no more a remote possibility. The polar bear is...

Keeping hold of the basic rules of finance

NO figure commands more respect within the world's financial community than Paul Volcker, the former Fed chairman. That is why his recent declaration -- "the bright new financial system had failed the test of the marketplace" -- was such a...

Vietnam may be first domino among Asian economies

Fitch's lowering of its outlook on Vietnam's sovereign rating Thursday could be a sign of more weakness to come for many of Asia's economies and currencies, as record oil prices complicate their efforts to control inflation.Fitch Ratings lowered the outlook...

For the functioning of business conglomerates

Soon after the meeting between the government and the business, the concerned quarters suggested that the business needs the assurance that the decisions or recommendations would be implemented at the ground level. The business representatives say they are yet to...

As India groans with highest maternal mortality, Rajasthan gets lifelines to motherhood

LAST year, Kamla, 28, a poor farmer in Rajasthan's Dholpur district, was flabbergasted to see her eight-month-old fetus pop out of her uterus as she toiled in a field.Bleeding profusely, the hapless woman fainted on the spot. Thankfully, Kamla's co-worker,...

A 10-point plan for tackling the food crisis

As leaders gather in Rome to discuss the global food crisis, our task is clear, but not simple: to help those in danger today and ensure that the poor do not suffer this tragedy again.What has been described as a...

Income tax ceiling may be unchanged

The government is likely to keep the income tax threshold unchanged in fiscal 2008-09.Currently, the income tax exemption ceiling is Tk 150,000, which might remain unchanged in the next fiscal, officials said.The revenue board has been studying the tax-exemption ceiling...

Exciting prospects of earning billions from medicine exports

Indeed, the foreign currency earning prospects of the pharmaceutical sector are considered to be no less than the readymade garment (RMG) which is presently the single biggest export earning sector of the country. With steady promotional activities favouring the local...

Little allocation for education and reseach

The Dhaka University (DU) has prepared a budget of Tk 1.52 billion (152 crore) for the fiscal 2008-09 allocating a small sum of Tk 150 million for education and research due to which educationists say the quality of research, in...

About becoming a middle income country

According to a recent World Bank (WB) report, "Bangladesh: technique for earning sustained economic growth", Bangladesh will be in the middle income group by 2016. It states that if the country achieves a growth rate of 7.5 per cent from...

E-governance: A priority agenda for the government

From a recent report published in a local daily, it could be learnt that the Special Judge's courts set up on Jatiya Sangsad Complex to try high-profile corruption suspects have so far jailed 102 people including 75 involved in politics,...

Dilemma of the upcoming budget

The relentless rise in the prices of commodities globally has forced the weaker economies into a tight spot. Bangladesh is one of the countries hardest hit by this wild behaviour of the price of commodities in the global market. Countries...

Govt set to re-introduce four-tier duty structure after two years

The government is set to announce a massive change in import duty structure in the upcoming budget reverting to four-tier system after two years and lowering duty on capital machinery, officials said Thursday.The present three-tier duty structure of 10, 15...

City events

abandoneddue to rainThe final match of the 28th National Cricket Champion-ship between two neighboring districts Dhaka and Narayanganj was abandoned due to rain at the Sylhet Stadium Thursday. The match will be held today (Friday) at the same venue. Dhaka...

Disclosure about US Presidential election candidate's health record

It is a most awful and critical time for the United States, being the year for the presidential election, continuing war on terror, and high price-rise of the daily essentials and gasoline (fuel). It would be a challenge for the...

Govt to open 35 more centers in dists to issue passports

The government will open 35 more centres in district headquarters to issue passports from June 1 covering the entire country, immigration officials said.It has already set up 17 such centres at the district commissioner's offices. Each of the district headquarters...

A significant rise in price of platinum likely

RBC Capital MarketsThe price of platinum could see a stgnificant increase in the medium term as demand/supply pressures create the ultimate bottleneck, according to Leon Esterhuizen, analyst at RBC Capital Markets.He says a continued increase in demand is driven by...

Banks' reluctance to part with cash keeps the heat on Libor

FT Syndication ServiceLONDON: One of the enigmas of the past few weeks has been why interbank lending rates have stayed so high when conditions elsewhere in financial markets have been improving.Since the Bear Stearns rescue on March 16, equity and...

Indonesia to pull out of Opec

INDONESIA said last Wednesday it would withdraw from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) at the end of this year because, as a net oil importer, its interests were no longer served by being a member of the oil...

Stuck on you

I'VE always liked the idea of the 'mystery shopper', covertly checking that everything is where it should be on the shelves of retail spaces and that staff are working to optimum levels of helpfulness. I doubt, however, I'm subtle enough...