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Bangladesh Economic & Infrastructure Development - Updates & Discussions

Nice find. I didn't know Nat Geo covered Walton

Too bad we still can't produce "swing needles" 😂

It was NAT GEO India. Great documentary by the way - some Indians will still call these products names but they will buy it in secret. :-)

looks like someone pirated the episode

National Geographic: Walton megafactories

press watch on Youtube


Thanks for the find. Very detailed - hitherto unknown information. :-)
 
𝐁𝐆𝐌𝐄𝐀 𝐏đĢ𝐞đŦđĸ𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 đĻ𝐞𝐞𝐭đŦ 𝐀đĻ𝐛𝐚đŦđŦ𝐚𝐝𝐨đĢ 𝐨𝐟 𝐆đĢ𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐞

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan met with Ambassador of Greece to India Dionyssios Kyvetos at the embassy in New Delhi on April 16.

They had discussions on different issues of mutual interests, including potential areas and ways of promoting bilateral trade and investment between Bangladesh and Greece.

They also exchanged views on how Bangladesh can enhance its exports of products including ready-made garments, frozen food, chemical products, ceramic, jute, leather products to Greece.

The BGMEA President said Greece is an attractive tourist destination for global tourists including Bangladeshis.

He called upon the Ambassador for making visas and other travel related procedures more simplified for Bangladeshi tourists who want to visit Greece.

Faruque Hassan, who is also Honorary Consul General of Greece to Bangladesh, requested the envoy to promote Bangladesh, particularly its RMG industry in Greece.

Greece is one of the major export markets of Bangladeshi garments.

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Bangladesh most profitable unit of Marico’s int’l business​

Says Marico Bangladesh MD


Jagaran Chakma
Sun Apr 3, 2022 12:00 AM Last update on: Sun Apr 3, 2022 05:54 PM

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As far as Marico is concerned, Bangladesh is the crowning jewel in Marico's business portfolio. Marico first entered international territories through Bangladesh in 1999

Bangladesh has been Indian multinational consumer goods company Marico's first international venture. The business is today is so successful that one out of two Bangladeshis uses its products every day. Ashish Goupal, who took over as managing director of Marico Bangladesh Ltd, in July 2018 speaks about his company's success and future plans in an interview with The Daily Star.

DS: What is the present status of Marico's factory in the Mirsarai economic zone?

Ashish Goupal: Marico Bangladesh is a proud ambassador of "Made in Bangladesh" and we are exporting personal care products, including hair oils and shampoos as well as coconut oils to Nepal, Vietnam and the Middle East.

Our factory in the Mirsarai Special Economic Zone will be our third in Bangladesh to support our growth aspirations and serve the consumers of Bangladesh as well as export markets.

The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority has already handed over the land to us, and currently, we are in the construction phase of the factory. As this is part of our manufacturing capacity expansion, we plan to accelerate the pace of development and hope to go into commercial operations by 2023.

DS: Marico is running business in many countries. Where does the Bangladesh market stand among the countries in terms of profitability?

Ashish Goupal: Marico Bangladesh (Marico) started its journey in Bangladesh 20 years ago with its flagship brand Parachute coconut oil. Currently, Marico has 37 brands across 10 categories under our Parachute Advansed, Saffola, Nihar, Parachute Just For Baby, Parachute Skinpure, Parachute Naturale, Hair Code, Livon and Studio X franchises.

As far as Marico is concerned, Bangladesh is the crowning jewel in Marico's business portfolio. Marico first entered international territories through Bangladesh in 1999 and ever since, Bangladesh has been the best performing international business of Marico group.

Currently, Marico operates in 26 countries across the emerging markets of Asia and Africa, and Bangladesh still reigns supreme in terms of growth and profitability.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, we saw positive business performance and good consumer response in the last financial year that ended in March 2021. The revenue of the company grew by 15.4 per cent while profitability grew by 17.5 per cent, year-on-year. This growth was driven by our core portfolio of coconut oil and strongly supplemented by the value-added hair oils category.

In addition, the newer dedicated portfolios like Parachute Just For Baby range of baby care products and Parachute SkinPure range of skincare products have also seen growth. Marico also expanded its Studio X international male grooming range with the launch of skin cream and pocket perfumes. Currently, Bangladesh is the most profitable unit of Marico's international business.

With the economy showing resilience amidst the second and third waves of the covid-19 pandemic and the government's prudent measures in the form of movement restrictions and vaccination efforts, the company is hopeful about delivering profit growth for its shareholders in the upcoming financial year of 2021-22.

DS: What are the potential and challenges of the fast-moving consumer goods market in Bangladesh?

Ashish Goupal: Our experience in Bangladesh has been a positive one and we are proud advocates of Bangladesh as an investment destination. We believe in Bangladesh's potential and are hence investing a further Tk 227 crore in the Mirsarai SEZ.

Bangladesh has business-friendly policies which is reflected in the growth of the economy. The government has also strongly driven efforts of digitalisation and technology, which will go a long way in enhancing the Ease of Doing Business. If the government's vision of creating an economy backed by digital governance can be executed fast, it will give the country a cutting-edge advantage.

Digitalisation simplifies several procedural hurdles and eases backlogs, such as obtaining various approvals or business licences, brings transparency to revenue collection and allows for resources to be deployed in a more constructive manner. Bangladesh is already competing with other Asian and African countries, not only in terms of attracting investment but also competing in terms of capability, technology and intellectual capital, and digitalisation is a key catalyst to the growth.

My three recommendations would be ensuring continuous open and responsive dialogue with the industry, ensuring clarity and consistency in the application of government regulations and policies, and accelerating digital economy and governance.

It is imperative that we sustain the digital transformation and access to government machinery that we have witnessed during the pandemic as the government agencies extended their whole-hearted support to ensure business continuity while maintaining safety measures.

DS: What is your plan for protecting the environment and reducing the use of plastic or carbon emissions?

Ashish Goupal: Marico, as a group, has always aimed to spearhead efforts to grow and foster sustainability through its operations. As part of Marico group, Marico Bangladesh adheres to a unified strategic framework on sustainability, the key elements of which include waste management, water management, energy efficiency, product responsibility and sustainable sourcing.

Our factory operations have already initiated efforts to implement 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) in the production process, introducing mechanisms for reusing plastic and solid waste. Our Shirirchala operations are currently zero discharge operations, and we aim to make it a completely sustainable factory by 2023 by recycling and reusing our own by-products and waste in our production. Moreover, our SEZ operations will be completely sustainable as well.

We hope that going forward, we will be able to collaborate with the government and industry on a sustainable and shared manner of ensuring extended producer responsibility and innovating to reduce virgin plastic waste generation and reduce our carbon footprint as a company.

DS: What is your plan for product diversification?

Ashish Goupal: Marico Bangladesh has expanded and diversified its product range significantly over the past few years. Even during the pandemic, we launched our Mediker SafeLife+ international hygiene range. We introduced Saffola Honey into our food range. We have expanded our core business in hair oils and have also forayed further into hair care and skincare with our Parachute Naturale range of shampoos and Parachute SkinPure range of skincare products.

We have also seen a gap in safe baby care products and responded by launching our Parachute Just For Baby range comprising lotion, oils, soap, shampoo, wash, face cream, rash cream and baby toothpaste. Since Parachute Just For Baby is certified Made Safe (by Safe Cosmetics Australia) and has 100 per cent safe ingredients like neem, olive, and almond, this range has built prompt equity among consumers.

We have also introduced our international styling brand Studio X into the market, which has a complete range of international quality grooming and styling products specifically catered to men. It includes shampoo, face wash, hair gel and deos.

We are focused on growing our core business as well as strengthening our foothold in the newer categories we have entered. We are committed to delivering growth that will benefit all stakeholders in our ecosystem.
 
Undersea cable III

Double bandwidth at 25pc higher investment​


Star Business Report
Tue Apr 19, 2022 12:00 AM Last update on: Tue Apr 19, 2022 12:53 AM

Demand for bandwidth in the country now stands at 3,400 Gbps

Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company will increase its planned investment to connect to a third submarine cable by 25 per cent to avail double the bandwidth.

With Tk 870 crore, the company will now get 13,200 Gbps from the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6) consortium.

Currently the state-run venture avails 2600 Gbps from SEA-ME-WE 4 and SEA-ME-WE 5. Another 1,000 Gbps or so of the bandwidth comes from India through six international terrestrial cable service providers based in Bangladesh.

Demand for bandwidth in the country now stands at 3,400 Gbps.

The third cable's addition will take the company's capacity to 15,800 Gbps.

"This is big news for Bangladesh and it will meet our bandwidth demand until 2030," Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar told The Daily Star.

"As thousands of schools will be connected to the internet, this low-cost but huge addition will help us cater to them," he added.
"Bangladesh will get the bandwidth from January 2025," said Md Abdus Salam Khan, company secretary to Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company.

"We are planning to increase the bandwidth capacity keeping the future demand in our mind as the internet use is increasing rapidly," he said.

Last year, Bangladesh signed an agreement with the SEA-ME-WE 6 consortium for the construction and maintenance of a connection to the third submarine cable.

At the end of 2020, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved this Tk. 693-crore project.
 

'Mother' in green on a bed of rice - on occasion of "Ma Dibash" (Mother's Day 2022)​


Tuesday, April 26, 2022 11:46 PM
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Enamul Haque of the village has reflected his mother's love by planting rice seedlings in his crop land. Photo: Abu Bakar Siddique Akand / Star

A short word 'ma'. Hidden in this little word are all the emotions and love of the world. Enamul Haque, a farmer from Sreepur in Gazipur, has expressed that passion and love in a different way.

Enamul Haque of Bekasahra village in Telihati union of Sreepur has reflected his mother's love by planting rice seedlings in his crop land.

Enamul has beautifully planted 'Ma' on the green paddy plants of purple and black rice varieties along the Burmi-Satkhamair-Mauna road in Bekasahra village. As if it will beat the artist's brush. And hundreds of people are gathering there every day to see the paintings of that rice plant.

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Enamul has painted a picture of love for his mother with rice seedlings in the crop land. Photo: Abu Bakar Siddique Akand / Star

Enamul Haque told The Daily Star: Later the mother made the writing structure by pulling the yarn with the seedlings from the seedbed. He then planted green rice of Black Rice variety. He planted purple rice seedlings around him. Over time, the rice seedlings have grown and the 'mother' has clearly emerged.

He further said, “Sarwar Hossain, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of the Department of Local Agricultural Extension, has given me direct advice and guidance. I have done this by renting about 50 percent of the land for one crop. '

Expressing his love for his mother, he said, 'My father died more than half a century ago. Then my mother is still alive. I have loved my mother since childhood. In fact, if you love your mother, no child can be disobedient, go bad, take drugs. Listening to my mother has been good for my life. '

Enamul's mother Johra Begum (65) said, "I came to know when people started coming to see the writing 'Mother' on the land with rice seedlings. I didn't know anything about it before. '

"I can't move at this age," he said. The boy cooperates in everything I do. Let all the children of the world love their mother. Then the world will be more beautiful. '


Notre Dame College student Imtiaz Ahmed and his two friends Enamul Haque came from Masterbari in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district to see the pattern of the rice paddy groves. He said, 'Nothing is suppressed now because of social media. So this word has spread all over the country. We also came to see after knowing about it. '

Sarwar Hossain, deputy assistant agriculture officer of the local agricultural extension department, said, “Enamul, a farmer, was the mastermind behind the graphic. He just took our cooperation for implementation. He has shown the reflection of an impossible creation. He also expressed his desire to do more in the future.
 
Iranian Govt. asking Bangladesh to build six RO-RO ferries for them. I don't think these will be subject to any sanctions.

 
12-13 Mobile Mfr. and assembly plants in Bangladesh now. Sorry both videos are in Bangla...

Xiaomi Bangladesh plant. Annual output will be 30 lakh units per year.
 
Bicycle exports from Bangladesh, venturing into selling bikes under Bangladeshi brands
 
How to refurbish a formerly ho-hum HINO bus to a luxurious sleeper coach in Bangladesh.
 
First Arrival of mother vessel at Matarbari deep sea port

His Excellency US Ambassador to Bangladesh Mr. Haas paying a visit to the Main Rail Terminus in Dhaka (Kamalapur) checking out 30 units of US-supplied 3300 HP EMD Locomotives being put into commercial use.

 
The Japan External Trade Organization, Dhaka country representative Yuji Ando on April 26 remarked that Bangladesh had the most competitive wage and potential domestic market among the Asia and Oceania zones.

The JETRO Dhaka chief noted this while handing over a certificate to Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Salahuddin Rizvi Mohammad at Chittagong Customs House in front of Chittagong Customs Commissioner M Fakhrul Alam for successful completion of a four-month training programme for FY’22, said a press release.

According to the 2021 JETRO Survey on Business Condition of Japanese companies running in Asia and Oceania, 65 percent of Japanese companies running in Bangladesh think they would be profitable in 2022 as the economy came back to normalcy after covid-shock.
 
Karnafuli Tunnel - should be inaugurated soon

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Cox's Bazaar Runway expansion to accommodate medium range airliners
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Energypac inaugurates generator testing lab​

Staff Reporter, Dhaka
Energypac inaugurates generator testing lab

Power engineering company Energypac Power Generation Ltd (EPGL) on Saturday inaugurated the first and only generator testing lab in Bangladesh after the name of “Eng. Khaleda Shahriar Kabir Testing Lab” says a press release.

Architect Yeafesh Osman, minister for Science and Technology, graced the event as the chief guest. He said, The present government is working towards fulfilling the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu and building a digital Bangladesh under the direction of honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Energypac is playing a leading role in this, so I sincerely thank them and wish their greater success in near future. The government emphasizing more on research and innovation to accelerate sustainable development, he added.

Engineer Nurul Huda, president, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB); Shikha Rahman, professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, California Polytechnic State University USA; Humayun Rashid, managing director & CEO, Energypac Power Generation Ltd.; and others were present during the event. Shikha Rahman is the daughter of engineer Khaleda Shahriar Kabir.

The state-of-the-art testing lab has two standard load banks, which are used to create artificial loads and check its performance with generator load capacity.

Here, Energypac can validate the correct load capacity, correct sound level requirements, the correct level of vibration and determine the pressure or flow of the exhaust from the silencer and the temperature of the generator.

The lab has been named “Eng: Khaleda Shahriar Kabir Testing Lab” to honour the first and one of the most renowned female engineers in Bangladesh. The idea behind the lab and its naming were clarified further by Humayun Rashid, the Managing Director & CEO of Energypac – “With our newly established testing lab, we now have the exclusive advantage in Bangladesh to manufacture and distribute generators that qualify on a next-level standard.

This shall surely give our customers and stakeholders better reassurance. At the same time, our motto was to spread the amazing story of engineer Khaleda Shahriar Kabir, who was a pioneer among the females studying engineering in Bangladesh.
She overcame many adversities to stand out as an example, and hence Energypac opted to pay tribute to her name and legacy of women empowerment by naming the benchmark lab after her,” he said.
 
Various types of shoe exports increased 31% year-to-year, going to ninety plus overseas countries.

New investments increased in miniature toys export sector

Local prosthetic and robotic hands and other limbs developed and being marketed locally at low cost.

 
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