Feb 11, 2016
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According to a nationwide survey carried out by 'Bangla Tribune', it was found that around 80% people in Bangladesh support continuing the war crimes trials. The trials seek to bring justice for the victims of genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The finding of this survey is consistent with the findings of the previous polls carried out on the same topic, showing overwhelming support for the trials. Additionally, more than half of the population voiced their support for banning the politics of Jamaat E Islami, an organization which collaborated with the Pakistan Army in 1971.
According to data released by Bangladesh Bank, the country saw its per capita income hit another milestone as it reached $1,316, the highest since the country’s independence, in the fiscal year of 2014-15, up from $1,190 two years back. Growth of the gross domestic product continued to ride on an upward trajectory with a consistent 6.55% rise during the said fiscal period. In the middle of the last year, the World Bank has elevated the country to the lower middle income status, largely because of the prudent economic management by the Awami League government.
A recent report by Export Promotion Bureau stated that earnings from export in January, 2016 saw a significant 10.4% increase compared to the same month a year earlier. Overall export earnings expanded to $19.27 billion during the first seven months of 2015-16, in comparison with the corresponding period of 2014-15. Country’s export earnings in 2015 stood at $32.37 billion which was $30.41 billion in 2014. Riding high on being the second largest hub for garment exports, coupled with a booming pharmaceutical sector, target has been set to fetch a whopping $55.1 billion export earnings by 2021.
With strong perseverance, dedication and doggedness, the country’s younger generation have again made the entire nation stand proud and hold its head high before the world. This week, two Bangladeshi athletes Mahfuza Khatun and Mabia Akter Simanta won gold medals at the 2016 South Asian Games. In another development, the Bangladesh team advanced to the semis of ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 for the first time after they defeated Nepal by six wickets in the quarter-final match. Although Bangladesh lost the semi final match to West Indies, the future of the country's cricket looks as bright as ever.
Envisaged, introduced and directly supervised by the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Ekti bari Ekti Khamar (One House One Farm) Project has seen as many as 10 million people, living below poverty line, getting their lives turned. The project has so far seen around 2.2 million families across 40,527 villages having their economic situation improved. Among the seven such projects that are directly being operated under the HPM’s watch, this one turned out as a key driver in bringing down poverty to 22.4 % at present from over 40% just seven years ago.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND MEGA PROJECTS
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Given that one fourth work of the country’s biggest infrastructure project till date is already complete, the government has constituted a high-powered inter-ministerial committee aiming to help accelerate the implementation of Padma Multipurpose Bridge. That nine member body is authorized to direct the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) to conduct work on the project and solve any problems arising during the implementation stage. This dream project will transform the lives of the entire Southern Bangladesh, by connecting it with the capital.
The government has proceeded with a key project for the division of Rajshahi aiming at enhancing the accessibility of the rural people to the markets and economic opportunities in the region. The project will help widen the access to markets and economic opportunities and boost the earnings, access to basic services like health and education of the rural poor. Under the $96.3 million project, around 700 km of upazila roads and 100 km of union roads are being upgraded to bitumen standard to provide connectivity between agricultural production areas and growth center markets.
A newly-framed government policy would facilitate 'hassle-free' and expeditious release of capital machinery and spare parts imports for industries from seaports. It would remove any difficulty and harassment of businesses at the port and has also clarified the definition of a new assembling industry, given definition of a plant, and directions on how to classify unassembled products. It also stipulates guidance to the importers to avail duty benefit on import of spares through different ports.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
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Since Malaysia has listed Bangladesh as a source country [from which to recruit manpower], the cabinet, headed by the HPM Sheikh Hasina, has endorsed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sending 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia in three years, introducing the “G2G Plus” system. Once operational, more opportunities for the workers will be opened up in the service, manufacture and construction sectors. A database of workers will be prepared while Malaysia will hire workers from the database prepared by the Bangladesh government.
According to the data recently released by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, inflation fell 3 basis points to 6.07% in January, propelled by a decline in food inflation, which was the lowest in 38 months. Food inflation stood at 4.33%, down 115 basis points from a month earlier. A good aman harvest and declining international commodity prices contributed to the decline in food inflation. Over the last seven years, the Awami League led government has been able to maintain macroeconomic stability in Bangladesh, including reining in inflation.
The country’s export earnings from the apparel industry has seen a 9.12% rise to $15.76 billion in first seven months of the current fiscal year. Sector people attributed new markets, value added products, improvement of safety standards in the RMG sector and peaceful political situation as factors which helped get more work orders that led to the export growth. According to the provisional data of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), in July-January period of FY’15-16, the overall export earnings posted over 8% growth to $19.19 billion, of which over 82% came from the clothing industry.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) will disburse a green fund of $200 million among green apparel and leather entrepreneurs to promote sustainable energy for sustainable development. This is in line with the overall strategy of the current government in this regard. To promote sustainable energy in Bangladesh, the government has prepared a Renewable Energy Policy and has undertaken various action plans with the target of generating 5% and 10% of total power production from renewable sources by 2015 and 2020 respectively.
TRADE AND INVESTMENT
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The government is going to prepare a priority-based guideline to take investment-related decisions promptly for encouraging domestic and foreign investors. It will be prepared for taking decisions on investment-related issues quickly for receiving more local and foreign investments in the country's different sectors. The proposed guideline will be prepared by Board of Investment (BoI), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA).
Bangladesh is sitting on a $2.1 billion surplus in Balance of Payments (BOP) at the end of the first six months of the current fiscal. A BOP surplus in current account calculations ensures Bangladesh won’t have to take loans to fund possible deficit. Export incomes have surged ahead and remittance from expatriates is on the rise. On top of that, a sound economic management has contributed largely to this attainment.
INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION
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This week, HPM Sheikh Hasina has accepted a proposal of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for becoming a member of a UN High-level Panel on Water. Days back, the UN chief phoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking her assistance for constituting a High-level Panel on water and making that effort a success. During the conversation the Premier informed the UN chief that the situation in Bangladesh is stable and all political parties are participating in local government polls at union council level.
The government of Japan has pledged to provide Bangladesh with 490 million Yen or nearly $14 million as grant aid for improving quality of primary education. To this goal, an agreement was signed between the concerned authorities. Under 'the Third Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-3), this assistance will be spent on improving the skills of primary school teachers through providing modern training in science and mathematics while required learning equipment will also be provided.
DIGITAL BANGLADESH
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The government will set up 2,000 computer labs at educational institutions at Upazlia level and 64 language-learning labs at district levels across the country. The computer and language-learning labs will be set up after the name of Sheikh Russell, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The government is implementing the project titled 'Computer Lab at Educational Institution and Language Learning Lab', expected to be completed by June 2016.
A central database comprising of different types of information about prisoners across the country was launched at the Rapid Action Battalion Headquarters in Dhaka this week. Using the database it would be easy for the officials to determine the types of crime the inmates committed. It will also be known how many arrestees are sent to and released from jails each day, and the dates of their appearances before courts. The information about criminals' escape and entrance to the country would also be available in it. The database will be integrated with the national ID cards and passport database.
Bangladesh Awami League Bangladesh Insight Archives