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July 17, 2021 NEWSLETTER |
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AL government announces $873 million stimulus for the poor Bangladesh’s Honourable Prime Minister (HPM) Sheikh Hasina last week announced stimulus packages to the tune worth $8,573 million to counter the adverse effects of coronavirus on the country’s economy. In a nation-wide, televised address from her official Ganobhaban residence the premier said with the fresh allocations the total amount of financial assistance would nearly 2.52% of GDP. “I hope our economy will rebound and we can reach near the desired economic growth, if the stimulus packages — the previous and the fresh ones — are quickly rolled out,” she said. The premier said the government has simultaneously taken up four programmes under the work plan which are to be implanted in “immediate, short and long” phases to increase public expenditure mainly through employment generation, introduce stimulus packages and widen social safety net coverage. |
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Over 10 million register for COVID vaccine in Bangladesh, 7.5 million more shots to arrive soon 
More than 10.25 million people have signed up for coronavirus vaccines in Bangladesh and 65% of the applicants have received at least one jab. Launched on Jan 27, the mass inoculation scheme, by the government, has seen as many as 10.9 million shots administered, including around 4.3 million second doses. The registration extended partially for students of medical colleges and universities in June. Bangladesh has so far received over 15.9 million doses of the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sinopharm. In total, 6.6 million people have received at least one shot of the vaccines. Moreover, the country will receive a good quantity of around 7.5 million vaccine doses from a number of sources, including the ones that will come under the COVAX facility. |
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UNHRC adopts resolution calling for Rohingya crisis solution 
A resolution on the "Human Rights Situation of Rohingya Muslims and other Minorities in Myanmar" was unanimously adopted last week at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Since the massive influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar into Bangladesh in August 2017, this is the first time that any resolution on the Rohingya was adopted in the UN without a vote, due to the intense diplomatic efforts made by the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in Geneva. During the adoption, Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva Md Mustafizur Rahman said the issue of addressing the Rohingya crisis and the protection of the human rights of Rohingyas must remain high on the UN agenda. |
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Bangladesh forms committee to ensure factory safety inspections 
The government has moved to ensure safe workplace environment at industrial and commercial units with instructions to take steps for a swift inspection of all plants in the wake of the deadly fire at a factory. In another notice, the PMO ordered the relevant authorities to begin inspecting the plants immediately. Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, or BIDA, will lead the initiative in coordination with business associations FBCCI, BGMEA and government agencies. It will monitor the activities of the agencies related to factory safety, take action by reviewing laws or rules on industrial structures and monitor the work to follow these laws and rules. The new committee will also work to ensure training of workers and members of factory management to prevent fire and other accidents, and make recommendations to the government. |
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Jute exports keep soaring braving pandemic 
Jute and jute goods export has maintained an upward trend amid Covid-19 pandemic as export earnings from this sector soared 31.63% year-on-year to US$1161.48 million in the just concluded fiscal 2020-21 (FY21). Bangladesh fetched a total of US$882.35 million from exporting raw jute and jute goods in FY 2020. In FY 2021, the country fetched 41.61% higher earnings totaling $799.04 million from jute yarn and twine export against US$364.26 million in FY 2020, according to the latest data of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). Export earnings from jute sacks and bags have also soared 30.16% reaching $138.66 million in FY 2021, which was US$ 106.54 million in FY 2020. |
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UNESCO to introduce int’l prize in honour of Bangabandhu 
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is going to launch an international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’ in the name of Bangladesh’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The award named ‘UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize’ in the Field of ‘Creative Economy’ will be given once in every two years to encourage young people to take initiative in the creative economy. On the other hand, India and Bangladesh strengthened their ties on Monday when the two neighbouring countries signed a pact to set up the ‘Bangabandhu Chair’ at the Delhi University, to focus on shared cultural heritage of both the countries with subjects like Anthropology, Buddhist Studies, Geography, History, Music, Fine Arts and Political Science. |
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BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE |
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