Jan 28, 2016
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According to a survey by the US-based International Republican Institute, 64% of respondents believed Bangladesh was headed in the right direction under the Awami League led government, citing improvements in education, transportation and the economy as the three greatest reasons for the country’s positive trajectory. 77% respondents voiced their support for HPM Sheikh Hasina, while 72% support the AL Government. 80% people stated that the current security conditions were very good or somewhat good, a significant increase of 12 points from previous survey. Nearly 80% participants stated the current economic conditions were very good or somewhat good, with 72% optimistic about their economic future.
Centered on elevating ways to ensure and encourage safe migration and to end human trafficking, the Cabinet gave approval to the draft of the "Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Policy, 2016" this week. Provisions were incorporated to ensure smooth migration of the female workers and formulation of integrated and participatory approaches in consultations with various stakeholders, including interested female migrants, public and private organizations, trade unions, recruiting agencies, employers as well as concerned international organizations.
Two giant Indian conglomerates including Reliance Power Ltd and Adani Power Ltd at an investment summit laid out their plans to invest US$ 11.2 billion in Bangladesh's power and energy and infrastructure sectors. Construction of two power plants, LNG terminal, grid interconnection and port and other logistic facilities are among other projects to receive the fruition of that investment. Inaugurating the summit, Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reassured the investors of her government's highest level of commitment to quickly facilitate their pragmatic proposals and simplification of investment procedures.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND MEGA PROJECTS
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With the construction of jetties and dredging of the navigational channels are going on full swing, Payra Seaport will go operational by the later part of next month. Key benefits derived from the port are faster and easier export of agricultural products, first green sea port of Bangladesh, boosting of garments industries and accelerated exports, industrial developments in the exclusive Export Processing Zones and high benefit cost ratio. Given that the port has good accessibility to inland by waterways, Bangladesh Navy is carrying out preliminary survey of the waterways from the port to reach up to the capital and beyond.
Construction of 64.75 kilometers long Khulna-Mongla broad-gauge railway will begin soon amid hopes to raise financial growth and the export-import of the country involving $0.49 billion. Once the construction is complete, a direct railway communication of the country will be established between the capital and the Mongla port, facilitating smooth passage for transporting goods across the country that would contribute largely to the national growth. In this endevaour, a total eight stations will be constructed while three big bridges, alongside 28 small bridges and 111 culverts also will be set up.
Communications between the country's northern part and the capital are going to get a facelift with the planned upgrading of Elenga-Rangpur road to a 4-lane highway at a cost worth $1.26 billion. Implementation of the said project would give a big boost to the transport sector as well as it would link with cross-border transport corridors planned by regional blocs and international agencies. A stretch of 190km way will be upgraded to 4-lane one while other construction works include separate lane for slow-moving vehicles, a total of 2635-metre-long three flyovers, one 411-metre railway overpass, 32 bridges, 11 pedestrian overpasses and 39 underpasses.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
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To improve and revamp the public transport system in the capital, the Dhaka City Corporation (North) will facilitate the introduction of 3,000 new buses to be run by only five operators. All the new vehicles, to be purchased by the operators, will include 1,000 air-conditioned ones while bus owners have already agreed to lower the number of operators to five and launch the fleet of new vehicles. Relentless efforts are put in place in making some crucial roads and bus terminals at key areas free from illegal parking while as many as 1,100 CCTV cameras would be installed in several places by June to check crime.
Endowed with a bounty of natural beauty, coupled with the government’s efforts to boost up tourism, the country saw a meteoritic rise in influx of tourists over the last five years that led Bangladesh to register a whopping $1.26 billion form the sector in the said time. To tap good proportion of global tourism market, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared 2016 as the year of tourism. A master plan has also been developed to uphold the natural, archaeological and architectural sites of Bangladesh to the world.
Towards the goal to take the solar generation capacity at 2,000 megawatt by 2021, the country's first-ever battery charging solar station started its journey in Keraniganj on the outskirts of the capital. Initiated on an experimental basis, the 21-KWP capacity solar station was installed at a cost of $7.37 million, and if it brings success then plans are set to set up five more such stations across the country. It could charge around 25 battery-run three-wheelers at a time costing $.5 while a battery-run rickshaw will require $.4 for the cause.
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY
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Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced to provide Bangladesh with $200 million in loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural parts to help them gain access to medium- to long-term credit. The money will be spent to engage women entrepreneurs in subsistence trade and retail activities, and are typically less educated and have less access to SME finance than men. As of now, there are about 7.2 million SMEs in the country that account for 90% of all companies and employ 70-80% of the nonagricultural workforce in the country.
According to a recently released study by Education Ministry, every able woman in the country currently gives birth to 2.3 children compared to 6.3 in 1975 indicating gradual success of the population planning campaign. Phenomenal success in reproductive health, sanitation and family planning attributed largely to this attainment. After assuming office in 2009, the Awami League led government has launched an all-out mass awareness campaign in light with education that has helped the country make significant gains in achieving MDGs.
History was set in motion this week when Shamsunnahar, a Superintendent of Police, led the Police Week 2016 parade, becoming the first woman to lead a police parade. This watershed moment resembles a major policy shift in the law enforcement agency towards women. Over the last five years Bangladesh emerged as a role model in empowering women buoyed up by the government’s true intention, dedication and commitment. Alongside HPM Sheikh Hasina and a female speaker, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury; majority of the top political rank and files ranging from politics to governance are dominated by women.
TRADE AND INVESTMENT
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While the country earned $38.3 billion throughout 2009, in the first six months of the current year, foreign exchange earnings from Bangladesh-made life saving medicines has touched that mark, reflecting a story of remarkable growth and resilience in the industry. Last year, two Bangladesh companies have secured permission from the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) while the WTO has granted Least Developed Countries relaxation on intellectual property rights until 2033. Besides, an array of measures including cash incentives attributed to this attainment.
Works are well underway to establish a Training Institute for plastic manufacturers with an aim to create skilled workforce for the sector as well as making the sector automated. The announcement was made by the Planning Minister at the opening of a four-day exhibition of plastic goods to attract international buyers as well as local consumers. Plastic goods manufacturers from 20 countries participated in the fair with 350 stalls and displayed their products like household items, packaging materials, moulds, toys, pharmaceutical items, furniture, melamine goods, apparel accessories and polypropylene (PP) woven bag.
Works are well underway to establish a Training Institute for plastic manufacturers with an aim to create skilled workforce for the sector as well as making the sector automated. The announcement was made by the Planning Minister at the opening of a four-day exhibition of plastic goods to attract international buyers as well as local consumers. Plastic goods manufacturers from 20 countries participated in the fair with 350 stalls and displayed their products like household items, packaging materials, moulds, toys, pharmaceutical items, furniture, melamine goods, apparel accessories and polypropylene (PP) woven bag.
DIGITAL BANGLADESH
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In a landmark move to digitize the postal service, the government has devised a plan to fit as many as 1,500 post offices with time tested IT facilities while the tender is being floated for reconstructing or repairing of 200 such offices. Under Construction of Rural Post Office project, real and measurable progress is marked to realize the goal by June 2017. Once implemented, this scheme will reap benefits across the country.
Nearly two thousand farmers of 10 upazilas are going to get information technology-based agriculture services which would facilitate them to get fertilizer, pest and disease management tools as well as market linkages. To offer the service, Grameen Intel Social Business Limited (GISB) and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Bangladesh (HELVETAS), a member-based non-profit association, struck a MoU for collaboration to disseminate the bliss of information technologies to rural community.
Bangladesh Awami League Bangladesh Insight Archives