Awami govt set to destroy backbone of Bangladesh economy

[TopCat]

No body is against the productive education. Believe me, you do not need to point me out the needs of productive education in Bd as I my self held a degree in electrical engineering and I have come from Islamic background. Islam doesn’t discouraged mordern education rather emphasizes more on gaining knowledge as qur’an clearly has mention: ya rabbi zidni ilma(Sura 20, Ayat 114).

Yes I also had 2 friends in my engineering university who came from Madrassa but they were there only through personal strife not through the education provided by Madrassas. They were only 2, mind it, also they were from Alia madrassa and only because Govt introduced some scince and math courses in those madrassas.

You said it well. If your proposal can be achive than it will make me happy as well but Al trying to drop islamic education from public shool and water down Islamic education in Madrasah. My conern lay there....

Nobody is watering down any islamic education from public school rather they may be made optional. In madrassa they will introduce 6 compulsory science math and general education subjects in addition to their existing islamic subject. Govt will also revise the syllabus of quomi madrassa and recognize their degree as well as provide them with funding.

 

[Skies]

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

AL leader sets up big brick field inside reserve forest



A local Awami League (AL) leader has set up a huge brickfield inside Fashiakhali Reserve Forest in Chakoria upazila of Cox's Bazar district.

Gias Uddin Chowdhury, convenor of Chakoria upazila unit of AL, is now preparing to burn bricks there although Brick Burning Act bars setting up brickfield within three kilometres of a reserve forest or human habitation, said forest officials.

If brick burning starts in the area, it will do immense harm to forest resources and cause environmental degradation, they said.

Forest department sources said Gias Uddin Chowdhury started building the brickfield in the area adjacent to Agorbagan in the reserve forest of Uchitar Beel at Fashiakhali Range of Cox's Bazar North Forest Division on August 13.

Businessman Liakat Ali Sawdagor, an alleged grabber of forestland in Ali Kadam upazila in Bandarban, has gone into partnership with Gias in setting up the brickfield.

Confirming the matter, Range Officer Mahmud Kabir of Fashiakhali Forest department said influential people are destroying forest resources at Fashiakhali.

"It is difficult for us to protect the huge forest resources with our limited manpower," he said.

After a spot visit, Fashiakhali Forest Beat Officer Azharul Haque sent a report to higher authorities about two months ago but no administrative action has been taken yet.

"Gias Uddin and his three to four brothers, who lead a gang of criminals, are felling trees every day and smuggling those out. They also attacked the local forest beat office twice as a case was filed against the influential leader's men," Azharul Haque said.

"No permission has been taken from departments concerned including the Directorate of Environment for setting up the brickfield," Divisional Forest Officer of Cox's Bazar Abul Monsur said.

When contacted, Gias Uddin Chowdhury admitted to setting up brickfield at Agorbagan inside the reserved forest.

He, however, said, "Although the brickfield is in the hills, it is on my paddy field and land owned by a mosque and others."

He claimed that no hill of the forest department was being cut for constructing the brick kiln and there have been no trees on the hills for the last two years.

Gias said he had submitted an application to the department concerned for a licence to build the brickfield and it is under process now.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=117001

 

[eastwatch]

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

AL leader sets up big brick field inside reserve forest

Our Idune gets angry with me whenever I say a few words of appreciation to the sitting govt. With his permission I must say that at least the news of this malpractice that the picture above shows are published in the newspapers. Govt must abide by its own promise to eliminate all sources of carbon discharge. When the PM attends the Copenhagen conf., our own industries are emitting poison to the atmosphere - this will not be accepted by the foreign govts.

PM always promises something in front of newsmen, but, I doubt, if she really thinks of building an administrative structure to supervise those promised projects. Think of river cleaning efforts in the Dhaka city. Is it done under the supervision of a responsible body? If there is none, then the cleaning remains on paper. This is termed as "Soft Government," by the socialogists.

Once Maulana Bhashani told in the Parliament, "Mujib huno, hoi hoi koira nau baich dewa, aar ekta desh chalano homan kotha na." This can be more attributed to his daughter, the present PM of BD. She is doing only hoi, hoi this time.

 

[idune]

Inflation shoots up by 46pc in a month
Rising food price blamed

Rejaul Karim Byron

Inflation rate on point-to-point basis has increased by 46 percent in a month and stood at 6.71 percent in October mainly because of rising food price.

In September, the inflation rate was 4.60 percent. According to statistics of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the food inflation in urban areas has reached near about double digit.

Economists and development partners said it is not yet alarming but the government would have to be cautious so that the rate does not go further up as the poor people are most hurt by the inflation.

According to the BBS statistics, the inflation rate for both food and non-food items has increased. Compared to September food inflation rose by 56 percent in October and the inflation became 7.78 percent, which was 4.98 percent in September.

Non-food inflation rate rose by 18 percent and stood at 5.07 percent in October, which was 4.28 percent in September.

Food inflation rose at higher rate in urban areas than in rural areas. In October, urban food inflation was 9 percent, which was 7.26 percent in rural areas.

During the immediate past caretaker government, the inflation rate crossed double digit. But after the present government assumed power, it started to fall and in June the inflation fell down to 2.25 percent. But since July it started increasing slowly every month.

Recent food inflation is caused by both national and international factors. India has been for the first time in 21 years importing rice as drought damaged paddy in that country.

On the other hand two consecutive cyclones in the Philippines destroyed rice crop. As a result, the Philippines is also importing rice. These factors have pushed the rice price up in world market.

In Bangladesh drought damaged Aus crop and delayed rainfall is most likely to cause lower Aman harvest. Already rice price has started increasing in local markets in last one month.

According to TCB report published yesterday coarse rice price jumped up by 3 to 9 percent over one month.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Senior Research Fellow Zaid Bakht said the inflation rate is not yet worrisome. But if it goes up further it would become a big challenge for the government's macro-economic management.

International food price is on the rise. Inside the country the Aus and aman harvest did not meet expectations. Besides, the government has announced new pay scale for the public servants, which would produce inflationary pressure.

Bakht also said the government would have to maintain smooth supply of inputs so that next boro crop is better. The government will also have to closely monitor the world market to build up food crop stock if the price increases internationally.

ADB in its quarterly update released yesterday said though the inflation is still low compared with previous years, price pressures are again building. Inflation over the next few months will depend on how the various underlying factors play out.

It said rising commodity prices in the international market along with the rising food prices in India because of the shortfall in crop production might create pressure on domestic food prices.

The ADB quarterly also said excess liquidity in the banking system because of lower investment demand and likely depreciation in taka exchange rate may also push up inflation rate.

Inflation shoots up by 46pc in a month

 

[eastwatch]

Inflation shoots up by 46pc in a month
Rising food price blamed
Rejaul Karim Byron

I must say that a food price increase is needed at least this year. India's food production is much lower this year and prices will be higher there. We have a bumper production. So, prices should fall. But, if it is kept low artificially, then by the law of economic gravity, much of our staple food will find ways to go to the other side of border. Therefore, the prices must be kept higher so that the foods are not smuggled out.

 

[idune]

Inflation hits 13-month high
Shakhawat Hossain

The people have started feeling the pinch of a fresh bout of price hike of essential commodities as monthly inflation rate in October jumped to 6.7 per cent - the highest in the last 13 months.

The monthly rate of inflation, which was hovering around less than 4 per cent over the last four months, crossed 6.5 per cent for the first time since the present government assumed office in January because of food price spiral in both rural and urban areas.

Food inflation in urban areas has reached 9 per cent while it is more than 7 per cent in the countryside. Among the non-food items, medicare, education and transport costs marked a significant rise, according to officials at the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. The last time the country witnessed a high inflation of 10.19 per cent was in September 2008 while inflation rate was 6.12 per cent in October 2008.
Experts observed that the low price regime which started with the assumption of office by the present government was almost over because of commodity price hike in the international market and dwindling investments in the country's productive sectors.

Against the backdrop of such a situation, macro-economic indicators are bound to destabilise especially in the area of inflation and employment, they said.The experts forecast that monthly inflation rate would rise further in coming months and might cross the government's projection of an average 7 per cent in the current fiscal that would end next June.

The foreign direct investment declined by 34 per cent till the first quarter of the current fiscal. Local commercial banks are sitting on idle money worth over Tk 250 billion because of less demand by the private sector. Public investment is hardly encouraging as only 15 per cent of the Tk 305 billion annual development programme was executed till October.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies director general, MK Mujeri, told New Age that the government should concentrate on creating an investment-friendly atmosphere for productive sectors.

It will help produce more consumer goods and generate employment which the country needs badly to cope with the present pressure of price hike, he added.

The finance ministry in its latest macro-economic review cautioned that huge excess liquidity in the banks, higher inflow of remittances from the expatriates and price rise of commodities in the international market could cause a spike in inflation.It suggested cautious monitoring by the central bank of the country's monetary policy to keep inflation in check.

Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman told the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in October that excess liquidity and higher inflow of workers' remittances created a bubble-like situation in the prices of essentials and assets.

Only part of the remittances can be channelled into productive sector as investment activities by local and foreign investors amid the global financial recession remained almost suspended, he pointed out.
The country witnessed a double-digit inflation for most part of 2007 and 2008 because of surging prices of food, fuel oils and fertiliser in both local and international markets.

Food inflation was so high that poor and even middle-income people struggled to buy daily foods. It hampered the country's poverty reduction goals as many low income groups re-entered the poverty trap.

Front Page

 

[idune]

Perhaps a record Awami govt will be celebrating in their upcoming one year anniversary. Awami economic policymakers have not able to show their worthiness to the nation. Much (Awami) celebrated BB governor keep repeating analysis that we have excess liquid funds because of increased remittance and lack of domestic investment. But BB governor and rest of Awami govt job is not reading out analysis but device fiscal policy that encourage domestic investments and create way for utilize these funds in productive sectors and create jobs. But who is going to read out their job description - that govornor and policy makers job is not reading out obvious analysis but devise strategy and fix the problem.

Since independence there were three Awami regimes in power all three failed miserably in economic development. First one ended with legacy of feminine, second one left with mediocre growth and almost empty foreign currency reserve and current regime going towards proving the fact - their version of "digital Bangladesh" is indeed a digital deception. Any average "Joe" in Bangladesh will echo this sentiment.

 

[idune]

LOOKING BACK: 2009
No headway in meeting graft fight pledges
M Moneruzzaman

The Awami League-led government, now one year in office, is yet to take any measures to materialize its election manifesto that pledged multi-pronged measures to fight corruption which plagued the society in the past decades.
Fighting corruption was the second of the five priority pledges of the Awami League which won a landslide victory in the December 29, 2008 general elections.
‘Multi-pronged measures to fight corruption will be taken. Powerful people will need to submit wealth statements every year. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate bribery, extortion, rent-seeking and corruption,’ reads the AL election manifesto, which released by Hasina, also the party president, on December 12, just before the election.
It said strong measures would be taken against people who amassed undisclosed money, loan defaulters, tender manipulators, and user of muscle power in every sphere of the state and society.
The Awami League manifesto said state or private monopolies would be dismantled, discretionary powers of officials curtailed, citizens’ charter introduced in every department and opportunities for corruption eliminated or minimised through widespread computerisation.
The Anti-Corruption Commission chairman, Ghulam Rahman, at a press briefing at his office on October 14, alleged that the anti-graft watchdog was being made toothless.
‘A process is under way to clip the claws of the commission after it was made a toothless tiger,’ the ACC chairman told reporters pointing the finger at the government which had pledged to strengthen the anti-graft body.
At another seminar on ‘Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Commission: Why and How’, held at BRAC Inn Centre on December 10, Ghulam Rahman said it would not be possible to check widespread corruption if political parties do not reduce their dependence on businessmen to meet their political expenses.
The influence of businessmen on politics has to be cut, he said while giving his opinion about setting up of a public fund for meeting expenditures of the political parties.
‘No mechanism has yet been devised for the submission of our wealth statements,’ the parliament speaker, Abdul Hamid, told New Age in August when he was asked whether the lawmakers had submitted statements on their wealth in keeping with the ruling party’s election manifesto.
‘I do not know whether lawmakers’ submission of wealth statement is essential as they have already declared their assets to the Election Commission,’ said the speaker, adding there must be a mechanism for the lawmakers to provide their wealth statement.
On January 13, the finance minister, AMA Muhith, told reporters that the government would start taking wealth statements from the ministers and the members of parliament in February to bring transparency in the activities of public officials.
He also stressed the need for aggressive anti-corruption drives, saying the ruling party members would be brought to justice if they were found guilty of being engaged in corruption.
Neither the Anti-Corruption Commission, reconstituted by the present government, has come up with any measures nor have the powerful quarters in the government voluntarily declared their assets and liabilities to comply with the party pledges. The electoral pledge, however, did not define the ‘powerful people.’
The Anti-Corruption Commission, then headed by former army chief Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, had served notices to 224 individuals, including the two top political leaders — Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia — asking them to submit their wealth statements.
Fighting corruption was second of the five priority pledges of the Awami League, which won a landslide victory in the December 29, 2008 general elections.
Till October 30, the present government has recommended withdrawal of 875 cases filed in the past with political motives. The 875 cases include one against Tarique Rahman and one against former law minister Moudud Ahmed.
No other cases against any opposition politician have, however, been recommended for withdrawal.
Media reports, meanwhile, said corruption relating to bribery and tender manipulation increased among politicians and their relatives in recent times in comparison to that during two years of a military-controlled administration, which had launched an anti-corruption drive, mostly against political leaders.
But the level of corruption remains the same though its position has improved in Transparency International’s corruption index.
Bangladesh topped the list of most corrupt countries for five consecutive years during the tenures of the previous governments led by AL and BNP, according to the corruption perception index published by the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog.

Front Page

 

[eastwatch]

RECOVERY OF SMUGGLED MONEY UNCERTAIN
Task force fails to hold a single meeting in one year
Shakhawat Hossain

Recovery of the money siphoned off allegedly by politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen seems uncertain as the high-powered taskforce dealing with the much-talked-about issue could not hold a single meeting in the last one year.

The taskforce, formed by the military-backed caretaker administration to bring back the smuggled money, is now led by the Bangladesh Bank governor, Atiur Rahman.

It held its last meeting in late 2008 and was finally scheduled to hold its first meeting in the current year on December 15. The meeting was cancelled by the central bank citing 爽navoidable circumstances・

BB and finance ministry officials pointed out that the scheduled meeting could not be held as there was no significant progress, although the taskforce during the caretaker administration gave an impression that the committee would able to recover the smuggled money.

The caretaker administration that took office in January 2007, conducted an anti-graft drive, arresting and trying over 200 politicians and officials for corruption.

Many former ministers and lawmakers were charged with amassing wealth and sending funds out illegally.

Former army chief Moeen U Ahmed told newsmen during his visit to London in October 2007 that the caretaker government had brought back smuggled money amounting to $129 million. He also said that another $72 million was being brought back while $240 million was traced.

Nearly 100 high-profile politicians and businessmen had fled to other countries to evade arrest during the anti-graft drive. Some of them were hiding abroad with their families and were convicted by the court in absentia.

Most of them are now finding routes to escape through legal loopholes.
Failure in progress by the taskforce has been attributed to the country痴 abortive attempt to be a member of the Egmont Group, a coordinating company of over 100 financial intelligence units across the globe, as part of the effort to recover the smuggled money.The group turned down Dhaka痴 membership plea as it did not meet the criteria and conditions of the group after it failed to adopt necessary provisions and laws, BB officials said.

Bangladesh has, however, signed a memorandum of understanding with a number of countries, including Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Afghanistan and Indonesia in this regard.

Such MoUs under which two signatories could share information on specific corruption suspects, are not enough to start the process for recovering stolen money, they observed.

The cross-border flow of money earned from criminal activities, corruption and tax evasion is estimated to range between $1.0 and $1.6 trillion per year ・half of the amount from developing and transitional economies, according to the World Bank which launched stolen asset recovery (StAR) initiative with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2007.

The WB said corrupt money associated with bribes received by public officials from developing and transitional countries was estimated to be $20-40 billion.


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[eastwatch]

Manufacturers brave slump, export position remains static


MANUFACTURERS BRAVE SLUMP, EXPORT POSITION REMAINS STATIC
Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

The overall export scenario of the country, along with the related production mechanism, has remained static during the current year as the manufacturers were able to brave the worst global recession in the last six decades.

The number of twenty-feet equivalent unit (TEU) shipment went up to a paltry 261,806 during January-November in 2009, while it was 261,528 during the same period last year, according to monthly container movement statistics of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).

Bangladesh has maintained its export status, but sacrificed price to retain its market share, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Salam Murshedy told the FE yesterday.

"Many manufacturers have accepted export orders at a reduced price believing that the situation would improve after one or two seasons," he said.

The BGMEA chief said the utilisation declaration (UD) is better than that of the last year.

"We are getting out of the neg-ative territory to a positive one as export orders are picking up," he added.

He, however, said the price situation has not improved in the recent times as many buyers are reluctant to increase the price.

"We hope we can negotiate price with the buyers from the next season which will begin from April," he said.

Mr Murshedy said cotton price increase in the recent times has pushed the garment manufacturers into big trouble.

"The price for January delivery was fixed four to five months back and if fabric price goes up now, it will hamper the production process," he added.

It will not be possible for the manufacturers to renegotiate the price and they have to buy the fabric at higher prices and incur loss, he explained.

"Big manufacturers can sustain the losses but for the small and medium units, it will be difficult to absorb," the BGMEA president feared.

The government should immediately take action to improve the gas and power situation, he said.

"The problem is more acute than the global recession," he added.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Mustafizur Rahman said it is a good sign that production has at least maintained the level of the previous year.

"In the July-November period, export picked up due to Christmas and New Year sales," he said.

US retail sales increased by four per cent in the recent months.

The footwear sector did well and it is expected that frozen food export will increase after the restriction on its export goes, he said.

"Service sector also did well due to good performance of the production sector," he pointed out.

Shipping, freight forwarding, banking, insurance and other related sectors also benefited as production did not decline, he added.

 

[TopCat]

The above article failed to mention that we had a thremendous growth in JUTE in the first two quarters.

 

[idune]

LOOKING BACK: 2009
No progress in power, energy sector
Aminul Islam

The Awami League-led government in its one year in office has failed to make any significant progress in the power and energy sector while it has made some controversial decisions that are against the interest of the country.

The government, which assumed office on January 6, 2009, could not sign a single contract for any power plant installation till December 25. It could not even complete the tender process for large power plants such as the 450MW Bibiyana independent power plant during its 11 months in office.

The government, with the current pace of power plant project implementation, will face a massive hurdle in implementing its election pledge to increase the total power generation to 5,000MW by 2011 and 7,000MW by 2013 from the existing 3,600MW to 3,800MW, power officials said.

About 300MW of electricity was added in a year, mostly from short-term rental and small independent plants in the first half of 2009, but all the power projects were planned and launched by the previous interim government, they said.

The government’s effort to add about 530MW of electricity from costly rental power plants during the next irrigation season has virtually fallen flat as none of the plants are likely to start generation before May because of a delay in tender process completion and the government’s purchase committee decision.

The government also failed to ensure full electricity generation at the 90MW Fenchuganj power plant and 2x120MW Siddhirganj power plant although contracts for the power plants were awarded in 2006 and 2007.

The state minister for power and energy, Md Enamul Haque, told a meting of the parliamentary standing committee on the power and energy ministry on Thursday that the amount of additional electricity would reach 960 MW by January 2010 from the time when the government assumed office. All the power plants, from which additional power will come, including Siddhirganj and Fenchuganj, were launched by previous governments.

Implementation of other power projects such as the Bibiyana and Sirajganj independent, 2x150M Siddhirganj, 150MW Bhola, 360MW Haripur power plants and two 150MW plants at Sirajganj and Khulna is still uncertain because of lack of government attention as it is busy launching some short-term rental plants.

The tender process for two 150mw power plants in the public sector — Sylhet and Chandpur — has so far been completed during the tenure of this government while the cabinet committee on purchase on Wednesday approved the selection of bidders for five costly rental power plants with a capacity of generating about 330MW of electricity.

The government wanted to install eight rental power plants with a capacity to produce about 520MW of electricity before the irrigation season.It, however, was unsuccessful in the bidding for three plants while it selected three inexperienced companies to install five plants.

A number of Power Development Board officials have doubted whether these companies could install the plants in 120 to 270 days.
The government, on the other hand, made some controversial decisions to favour international oil companies. It has allowed the UK-based oil company Cairn to sell gas directly to a third party bypassing Petrobangla at a higher price when it would start gas production in the Magnama structure in the Bay of Bengal.

The government also created controversy for its move to award three offshore blocks to two international oil companies by keeping an option for gas export. The move resulted in violent protests by different rights group and left-leaning political parties and the first general strike during the tenure of this government.

It has also failed to reach its target of adding about 100 million cubic feet of gas a day from the gas fields owned by state-run companies by 2009. Petrobangla could add about 30mmcfd of gas from the state-run companies.

The total gas production in the year, however, was increased by around 150mmcfd in a controversial manner by allowing Chevron to extract gas beyond the tolerable limit from the Bibiyana field. Despite the increase, the country faces a shortage of about 200mmcfd of gas.

Although the government took a fast-track programme to increase gas production by 130mmcfd in two to three years, energy experts said the programme might ultimately become unsuccessful as the government would continue to give the state-run companies Tk 7 a unit of gas whereas international oil companies get gas about Tk 200 a unit.

The government’s election pledge to adopt a ‘comprehensive long-term policy on electricity and energy’ still remains elusive while it could not finalise the much-talked-about coal policy in a year.

‘The track record of one year of this government shows it will be hard for the Awami League to implement its election pledge. It is not easy to produce 3,000MW–4,000MW of electricity in three to four years when you lose one year without much progress,’ Professor Nurul Islam of BUET told New Age on Thursday.


Front Page

 

[idune]

LOOKING BACK: 2009
Govt fails to keep word on price spiral arrest

Kazi Azizul Islam

Prices of many essential commodities increased significantly compared with the prices a year go when the government assumed office after a stunning election victory with a promise to take the heat out of the kitchen market.

The prices of everyday necessities, especially prices of items which had declined in the first few months of the past year, are seeing a fresh and sharp rise in recent months, according market observers.

‘Everyone hoped that the government would take steps to contain the runaway prices… but we are now frustrated to see rising prices of essential commodities,’ said Mossahraf Hossian, a tea stall owner at Nakhalpara.

Many consumers also expressed their dismay at the fresh or continuous increases of commodity prices.The consumers’ rights activists and economist suggested that the government should be more active against market manipulation and artificial fiddling into the supply chain.

The average price of per kilogram of coarse rice in July-September quarter of the current fiscal year was Tk 21, but the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh’s market reports showed the price at Tk 25.5 on Thursday. The average price of coarse rice per kilogram was recorded at Tk 28.5 in the first week of 2009. In early 2008, the price hit Tk 35 as damage of paddy by cyclone and a ban on exporting rice from India, pushed the market to become vulnerable.
Increase in the price of coarse rice also worried the parliamentary standing committee for Food Ministry which last week asked the minister to investigate the reason and keep a keen eye on the market.
At the beginning of 2009, the price of coarse flour was recorded at Tk 24-28 per kilogram, but a decline on wheat price globally pushed down price of flour in the local market. According to Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh, packed coarse flour per kilogram sold between Tk 23 and Tk 26 last week, with around 15 per cent increase in just one-and-a- half month.

The price of edible oil, that had also declined early last year following a massive fall in its prices on the international market, has also increased this few past few weeks. The price of loose but fine grade palm oil, which is mainly consumed by poor people, was Tk 53-56 per kg in the first week of 2009. But a Trading Corporation of Bangladesh report on Thursday showed its price shot up at Tk 66-68 per kg.

The average price of red lentils increased by more than 20 per cent over the year as TCB recorded the retail price of per kg of red lentil at Tk 85-135. The price was at Tk 76-106 in the first week of 2009.
Sugar, another major essential item became costlier by 59 per cent over the year and it was being retailed at Tk 51-54 per kg on Thursday.

The sugar market became volatile in last Ramadan with its retail price having increased by more than 50 per cent within a couple of weeks. The commerce minister at that time had told citizens that manipulation by some businessmen was the reason for such hike and promised they would be punished, but no specific action in this regard is yet to be seen.

The TCB report also shows that potato is now 74 per cent costlier than what was its retail price in the first few weeks of 2009. Retail price of onion also became costlier by 46 per cent, that of garlic by 21 per cent and ginger 26 per cent. Live broiler chicken became costlier by 19 per cent.

Quazi Faruk, general secretary of Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh, said, ‘Fresh increases in prices of the major commodities will bring pressure on the limited income group people which will negate the ruling party’s election pledges.’ Kazi recalled that controlling the prices of essential commodities was top number one priority in the election manifesto of the ruling Awami League.

“Control Over Commodity Price Hike” was listed as the number one of AL’s top five priorities in AL’s, a revisiting of the party’s website, found. The AL had there specific commitment to keep the market in favour of the consumers. “Measures will be taken to reduce the unbearable burden of price hike and keep it within the purchasing power of the people,’ the manifesto stated. ‘After giving the highest priority to production of domestic commodities, arrangements will be made for timely imports to ensure food security.’

It added : “A multi-pronged drive will be made to control prices along with monitoring the market. Hoarding and profiteering syndicates will be eliminated. Extortion will be stopped. An institution for commodity price control and consumer protection will be set up. Above all, price reduction and stability will be achieved by bringing equilibrium between demand and supply of commodities.” Kazi Faruk of CAB said, “Fresh increases on commodity price might have caused uneasiness to the ruling party, but effective steps to bring the market into effective disciplines, are yet to be taken.’

Mahabubur Rahman, a renowned rice economist, also agrees that fresh increases on rice price would be a matter of worry for all, including the government. He however points out that price of rice is increasing due to a shortfall in Aman production. But he believes there may be reasons to be worried as imports of rice stopped and rice price is now high in neighbouring India.

‘The government should take allout measures to support as Boro farmers who suffered a missive price fall after last harvest,’ he said.

Economist Abu Ahmed said the Awami League government, in its beginning, had some unearned pleasure, ‘The global prices of commodities, which had increased exorbitantly in the previous two years or so, had declined at that period.’ There are many things to be done by the government, Ahmed said.

He said, ‘Market should be truly monitored with proper assessment of the local production and timely preparedness by the government and private sector importers to meet any shortages.’

Front Page

 

[idune]

Awami govt very selctively targetting Bangladeshi industries and implementing indian prescription. Awami govt prior to Hasina visit to India removed the decade old ban on poultry import and put livelyhood of millions of Bangladeshis. Only to to benefit india.

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Import of Indian eggs, chicks threatens poultry industry

Staff Correspondent

Allowing imports of day-old chicks and eggs from India may open the way for flooding Bangladesh market with such Indian products at the cost of the country’s growing poultry industry.

Expressing the apprehension, leaders of local poultry industry said such imports might also heighten the risks of avian influenza or bird flu in view of an outbreak of the disease in India in recent months.

They said it was unfortunate that withdrawal of the restrictions on imports of both eggs and day-old chicks coincided with the efforts by the domestic poultry farmers to recover the losses they incurred due to bird flu effects.

The government has of late lifted a ban on import of day-old chicks and given 17 companies import permits following another decision to withdraw the ban on imports of eggs from India.

‘The government should rather consider providing subsidy to farmers instead of allowing imports that may harm our growing industry,’ said Syed Abu Siddique, president of Poultry Industry Association. He said that the Indian government provided cash incentive for exports in addition to subsidy to poultry industry.

While local industry leaders opposed lifting ban on poultry imports, small farmers complained about an increase in the price of day-old chicks by big poultry farms taking advantage of the limited supply.

‘A section of small farmers like us have lost at least Tk 12 lakh during the Eid due to scarcity of chicks and their high prices,’ said Yusuf Hossain, a poultry farmer of Nagarpur in Tangail. They demanded more supply of day-old chicks and breaking the monopoly of the suppliers.

However, the poultry association chief said the price of day-old chicks would come down significantly in March when production was expected to reach its peak following recovery from bird flu.

He said that Bangladesh’s poultry industry could not afford to sustain another bird flu outbreak and that the risks were higher when poultry chicks would be imported from India which had positive bird flu cases even in August.

A high official at the fisheries and livestock ministry sought to allay the bird flu fears saying that importers would be able to import chicks from any country and that they would need clearance certificate for importing the chicks.

Business

 

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Awami govt very selctively targetting Bangladeshi industries and implementing indian prescription. Awami govt prior to Hasina visit to India removed the decade old ban on poultry import and put livelyhood of millions of Bangladeshis. Only to to benefit india.

Darn mate ..... Did you inform BBC or CNN ? .. this is a serious challenge to BD economy. The whole aim of Awami government is to bring BD economy to ruin by this one act of allowing imports of Egg's. Just imagine, NO EGGS ... mean NO money for local traders ... that means NO money for Tax ....which means government cant pay to public servant .. which mean this people will spend less ... which mean slowdown in economy ... which ultimately means Crumbling of Society.

Just imagine, what a small Egg can do. This RAW guys are scheming devil's, i must say.

and hey before i forget ...



I suggest don't even think about importing Indian Chick's. First of all, Human trafficking is supposedly banned in India. And believe me you dont want to be importing Indian chick's...
Mate, seriously this Indian chick's don't know how to wear Burka's (In fact they wear those mini's and smoke cigarette's)..... they will end up corrupting your young generation.

So...... NO to Eggs NO to Chick's.

Long live Bangladesh.