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May 29, 2021 NEWSLETTER |
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Minimising Climate Vulnerabilities: HPM Sheikh Hasina seeks Commonwealth’s attention Honourable Prime Minister (HPM) Sheikh Hasina last week urged the Commonwealth to play a role in eradicating poverty and minimizing climate vulnerabilities of the underprivileged segment of the population. “I strongly believe that the Commonwealth can play a pivotal role towards sustainable and nature-based solutions for a prosperous future,” she said while addressing a virtual roundtable of the Asia Regional Commonwealth heads of government. As a member of the Commonwealth and the Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum-CVF, she suggested three measures ahead of COP26, including promotion of green and sustainable economic growth worldwide and investing in a circular economy for building back better. |
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Bangladesh steps up Covid vaccination scheme, approves purchase of 15mn doses of Chinese vaccine 
The upcoming national budget for fiscal 2021-22 will be a deft exercise on saving lives while creating more avenues for livelihoods to cope with the fallout caused by Covid-19 pandemic. A mass vaccination for protection against Covid-19 infection will hold major focus of the budget themed as "Priority on lives and livelihoods, tomorrow's Bangladesh." Moreover, the cabinet committee on public purchase has approved a proposal to buy 15 million doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China at a cost of $150 million. Bangladesh launched the vaccination drive on February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca doses purchased from India's Serum Institute. |
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Bangladesh perfect example of innovation-driven development: Sajeeb Wazed 
HPM Sheikh Hasina’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed has highlighted how Bangladesh harnessed the power of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to achieve its transformative socio-economic development during the last decade at the UN. Highlighting the success of the "Digital Bangladesh" vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said Bangladesh is a perfect example of how science, technology and innovation can drive growth and development. During his address, he credited the introduction of the "Digital Bangladesh" initiative, envisaged by the Awami League led government, for the country’s speedy adaption to the new business and work environment inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic. |
The United Nations has awarded eight fallen peacekeepers from Bangladesh with the "Dag Hammarskjöld Medal". Moreover, Bangladesh Army has foiled a terrorist attack on a logistic convoy of the United Nations (UN) in Mali recently. While working in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Mali Bangladesh Army carried out a successful operation against local terrorists. Bangladesh is currently the top contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations and around 7,000 peacekeepers are deployed in nine peacekeeping missions currently. So far, 159 peacekeepers from Bangladesh have lost their lives while serving in the UN peacekeeping operations. |
UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkır has applauded the Bhasan Char project for Rohingya refugees, saying this is an example of humanity for the world. He also applauded Bangladesh for its socio-economic progress and sheltering Rohingya refugees. On the other hand, HPM Sheikh Hasina, during a call on with the former, expressed concern about the repatriation of Rohingyas following the recent development in Myanmar as it has made the process uncertain. "The situation has become uncertain due to the recent developments in Myanmar," she added, according to media reports. |
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$200 million currency swap: Bangladesh becomes a lender for first time 
In a first for Bangladesh, the country has extended a lifeline of sorts to the beleaguered Sri Lankan economy, offering to top up the island nation's depleting foreign reserves by as much as $500 million. The arrangement would allow Colombo to exchange Sri Lankan rupees for $200 million from the Bangladesh Bank, with the amount rising to $500 million. Bangladesh's reserves are hitting a new high each month as at the end of April, reserves crossed the $45 billion-mark for the first time. Extending financial help to its South Asian neighbour in its hour of need makes perfect sense to Bangladesh, which would make the best use of its heaving foreign reserves in the face of negative interest rates in the Western world. |
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Bangladesh attains real and measurable progress in disaster preparedness 
Under the prudent leadership of HPM Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh, over a span of last decade has made noticeable progresses in disaster preparedness, especially when it comes to facing mega cyclones. Owing to a raft of measures, the human losses, injuries and damage to properties have been reduced considerably which is a reflection of how the current government is paying attention to developing priority areas like disaster management. Extensive works on three core goals in addressing all pre and post disasters - saving lives, protecting investments, effective recovery and rebuilding structures—have been attributed to this significant accomplishment. |
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Bangladesh moves towards mandatory e-payment of all customs tariffs 
Aiming to give a boost to speed up export and import activities in Bangladesh, the government has made electronic payment of all types of duties, fees and charges in customs houses of more than Tk2m ($23,500), mandatory from 1 July, the first day of the fiscal new year. And, from 1 January 2022, duties and charges of any amount must be paid electronically, affecting customs in airports, seaports and land ports. E-payments of duties and charges at Kamalapur inland container depot were made mandatory last month, part of efforts to modernise customs in the country, simplify international trading and speed up the release of goods and services. |
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Over 90% Boro paddy harvested, loans for farmers to buy machinery’ 
Farmers in Bangladesh have already harvested 90% of the Boro paddy in the current season, dispelling worries that the impending cyclonic storm could have a major effect on the production of the biggest crop and hurt food security. According to media reports, combined with the expanded area and the hybrid cultivation, optimism runs high that the production of rice to be 10-12 lakh tonnes more than last year's while crop collection in the major belts of Boro paddy, including haor areas, has already been completed. Moreover, initiatives are being taken to provide loans from various banks on easy terms so that farmers can buy agricultural implements. |
A survey by a government institution says 88% of customers have expressed satisfaction with the country's electricity services. Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) conducted the survey online among 1,400 customers. Responding to questions about power connection services, 94% of customers said they were happy with the services while 77% said the same for receiving services after filing complaints. Moreover, the overall progress of the 1200-megawatt Matarbari power plant project is now around 42 percent while the implementation of Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contract are around 52.11%. |
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BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE |
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