Bangladesh Economy: News & Updates

[Bilal9]

billal bhai can you please give us the link for firnas airways news mentiones in the cap? Thank you

I stand corrected. They are actually starting Sylhet Osmani to Heathrow.

http://www.bangladeshmonitor.com.bd/aviation/2016/02/01/5145

 

[Bilal9]

RMG export to US rises 11.74% in 2015 despite GSP suspension
Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Bangladesh’s apparel export to US market has seen an 11.74% rise to $5.40 billion in the last calendar year, thanks to increased demand for clothing products.

The volume, however, posted a 16.3% growth in the same period that indicates the unit prices of apparel products made in Bangladesh has seen a fall.

In 2015, Bangladesh, the third largest exporter of clothing products to US, earned $5.40 billion, which was $4.83 billion in the previous year, according to the data recently released by OTEXA.

While export growth in terms of quantity rose by 16.30% to 2196.4 million square meters equivalent (SME), it was 1888.2million SME a year ago.

Meanwhile, the overall export to US market jumped to $5.60 billion with an 11.93% rise compared to $5 billion in the same period a year ago.

Export of non-apparel products also showed a robust growth by 17.44% to $200.63 million, which was $170.8 million a year ago.

After the suspension of GSP or Generalized System of Preferences, it was feared that export to the US market, the single largest export destination of Bangladeshi products, especially apparel items, will see a sharp decline, but resulted in better growth instead last year.

“Despite image crisis over safety issues and economic slowdown in the export destination, an 11.74% growth is a satisfactory one,” BGMEA senior Vice-President Faruque Hassan told the Dhaka Tribune.

But the 16.3% growth in terms of quantity means that the buyers have cut prices, a great concern for the sector people as the production cost has increased manifold due to safety upgradation, said Hassan.

Talking on the higher growth of volume, Hassan said the buyers cut unit prices as yarn price fell while the retailers took advantage of safety issues.

“We are urging the buyers to increase the prices but they do not pay heed.”

“After GSP suspension, it was apprehended that the export to US market will see fall, but it showed significant growth, Former finance adviser to the caretaker government AB Mirza Azizul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune.

The higher growth in quantity implies a fall in unit price, leading the manufacturers to negotiate with their buyers to increase unit prices, said Azizul.

The positive sign is that there is a huge demand for Bangladeshi RMG products in the US market as the volume posted substantial growth, he added.

According Otexa, in the last calendar year, the United States imported clothing products worth $85.16 billion from across the globe, of which Bangladesh’s share is 6.34% while China shares 35.86% and Vietnam 12.40% in terms of value.

- See more at: RMG export to US rises 11.74% in 2015 despite GSP suspension | Dhaka Tribune

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exports cross $22bn in first eight months of fiscal year
Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Bangladesh’s export earnings posted a nearly 9% growth to $22.12bn in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau data.

The provisional data showed that in the months from July the country earned $22.12bn from exports, which was 8.92% higher compared to $20.03bn a year ago.

Readymade garment sector, the major industry, was able to fetch $18.13bn during the period, making a 9.52% increase from $16.55bn one year earlier.

The woven sector exported products to receive $9.48bn and the knitwear products to get $8.64bn.

The data said in February the exports registered a 13.60% growth to $2.85bn from $2.51bn in the same month last year. The figure exceeded the target by 4.90%. The target was set at $2.72bn for the month.

In February, the apparel exports increased by 12.29%.

“The supply to the destination countries as per orders helped the country achieve the export growth,” said Shahidullah Azim, former BGMEA vice president, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the production capacity of the manufacturers had been increased while there were ample work orders from the retailers.

“However, the unit price fell which is a matter of concerns for the sector,” Azim said.

According to him, the apparel sector needed an 11% growth to reach $50bn export target by 2021. “We are going that way with 11.29% growth. If the trend continues, it is possible to reach the 2021 export target.”

The industry insiders said improvement of safety standards in the RMG sector and peaceful political situation and new markets were contributing to getting higher number of work orders from retailers.

“The inspection findings were good, that is beyond the expectation of the retailers and rights group,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh. “All these things have built a positive image [of the industry]. So the buyers now have more confidence on the Bangladeshi RMG industry’s environment.”

He stressed the need to complete remaining task of compliance in the industry so the image so far built could be saved.

- See more at: Exports cross $22bn in first eight months of fiscal year | Dhaka Tribune

 

[asad71]

I stand corrected. They are actually starting Sylhet Osmani to Heathrow.

Firnas Airways hopes to start operations with flights to Sylhet this year

BD and Pakistan are not air linked directly under a carefully orchestrated program of SHW/BAL. The shortest link is via Colombo in Air Lanka. But will not be as cheap as PIA/Biman.

 

[Bilal9]

The Govt. continues purchase of new engines and railcars from India with extended Indian credit. Shown are one of the WDM 20's and the new high speed LHB coaches.

 

[Roybot]

The Govt. continues purchase of new engines and railcars from India with extended Indian credit. Shown are one of the WDM 20's and the new high speed LHB coaches.

The livery is god awful, makes the coach look ugly. They look so much better in the colors of Rajdhani and Shatabdi.

And the prayer room eats up so much of space, is it really necessary given the most of the train journeys in Bangladesh are only 6-7 hours long.

 

[Bilal9]

The livery is god awful, makes the coach look ugly. They look so much better in the colors of Rajdhani and Shatabdi.

And the prayer room eats up so much of space, is it really necessary given the most of the train journeys in Bangladesh are only 6-7 hours long.

Unlike India - in Bangladesh most middle-class travelers to higher class passengers have historically (since Pakistan times) used air travel as a means of travelling even half-hour flights (which would mean most flights within Bangladesh). The number of major local airports in the country (not counting airbases) easily exceed a dozen. And there are countless heliports everywhere. Over half of the routes operated since the seventies were with first rate jet equipment (F-28's and such) not war-surplus bheekhari DC-3's or dilapidated Avros like in India.

Why would most educated people care about color schemes on railcars? It's not the epitome of travel like in India.

And leave it up to the Awami govt. and their incompetent railway hacks to bring in 1971 themes and ugly flag colors into everything, even Goddam railway coaches.

Sikorsky S-61N (Leonardo Pinzauti Collection)

This photo from Leonardo's collection shows PIA S-61N helicopter (AP-AOA) at Faridpur Heliport in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). For short-haul operations in East Pakistan's delta region, based on Dacca, PIA set up a network of scheduled helicopter routes, using three amphibious twin-turbine Sikorsky S-61Ns which were delivered between October 1963 and February 1964. The first revenue flight took place on November 25, 1963, the first routes being to Khulna, center of the East Pakistan jute industry, and to Faridpur. The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800lb of cargo. PIA's first five pilots selected for helicopter training completed their conversion training at British European Airways (BEA) training facility at Kidlington near Oxford where they learnt to fly Brantly B-2 light helicopter. They then converted to S-61N at Sikorsky's factory in Connecticut and returned to Pakistan for route flying on a Hiller UH-12E4 before delivery of the S-61Ns.

The value of this new mode of transport lay in the time saved, the 80-mile journey to Khulna, for example, taking 21 hours by surface travel and just 37 minutes by the helicopter. Faridpur, only 36 miles from Dacca, derived even greater advantage by the reduction of journey time from 22 hours to 17 minutes! More than 20 points were served as the complete fleet became available.

Today there are plenty of private airline options locally and there are two new ones being launched this year alone so far. Epic Air being the latest one.

 

[Roybot]

Unlike India - in Bangladesh most middle-class travelers to higher class passengers have historically (since Pakistan times) used air travel as a means of travelling even half-hour flights (which would mean most flights within Bangladesh). The number of major local airports in the country (not counting airbases) easily exceed a dozen. And there are countless heliports everywhere. Over half of the routes operated since the seventies were with first rate jet equipment (F-28's and such) not war-surplus bheekhari DC-3's or dilapidated Avros like in India.

Why would most educated people care about color schemes on railcars? It's not the epitome of travel like in India.

And leave it up to the Awami govt. and their incompetent railway hacks to bring in 1971 themes and ugly flag colors into everything, even Goddam railway coaches.

Sikorsky S-61N (Leonardo Pinzauti Collection)

This photo from Leonardo's collection shows PIA S-61N helicopter (AP-AOA) at Faridpur Heliport in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). For short-haul operations in East Pakistan's delta region, based on Dacca, PIA set up a network of scheduled helicopter routes, using three amphibious twin-turbine Sikorsky S-61Ns which were delivered between October 1963 and February 1964. The first revenue flight took place on November 25, 1963, the first routes being to Khulna, center of the East Pakistan jute industry, and to Faridpur. The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800lb of cargo. PIA's first five pilots selected for helicopter training completed their conversion training at British European Airways (BEA) training facility at Kidlington near Oxford where they learnt to fly Brantly B-2 light helicopter. They then converted to S-61N at Sikorsky's factory in Connecticut and returned to Pakistan for route flying on a Hiller UH-12E4 before delivery of the S-61Ns.

The value of this new mode of transport lay in the time saved, the 80-mile journey to Khulna, for example, taking 21 hours by surface travel and just 37 minutes by the helicopter. Faridpur, only 36 miles from Dacca, derived even greater advantage by the reduction of journey time from 22 hours to 17 minutes! More than 20 points were served as the complete fleet became available.

Today there are plenty of private airline options locally and there are two new ones being launched this year alone so far. Epic Air being the latest one.

No they don't, please go sell that bs to someone who has never been to Bangladesh. Bangladesh's domestic air traffic is around 5 million passengers, compared to 90 Million domestic passengers in India.

You seem to be suffering from inferiority complex, my comment about the livery was purely about the aesthetics, nothing more to it.

 

[jaunty]

And the prayer room eats up so much of space, is it really necessary given the most of the train journeys in Bangladesh are only 6-7 hours long.

When you are supposed to pray 5 times a day, it becomes necessary I suppose.

 

[ebr77]

BD and Pakistan are not air linked directly under a carefully orchestrated program of SHW/BAL. The shortest link is via Colombo in Air Lanka. But will not be as cheap as PIA/Biman.

any idea when PIA or Biman will resume direct flights?

 

[damiendehorn]

any idea when PIA or Biman will resume direct flights?

Don't hold your breathe, not likely to happen any time soon. maybe in about the next 15 - 20 years or so.

 

[asad71]

any idea when PIA or Biman will resume direct flights?

After there is a regime change in BD; not before.

 

[Bilal9]

No they don't, please go sell that bs to someone who has never been to Bangladesh. Bangladesh's domestic air traffic is around 5 million passengers, compared to 90 Million domestic passengers in India.

You seem to be suffering from inferiority complex, my comment about the livery was purely about the aesthetics, nothing more to it.

I was thinking 'Chhaira-dey', 'Jaaney do', then I smelled something 'gandhey'. Smelling your BS and shoving it back to you.

India is geographically much larger compared to Bangladesh (it is a subcontinent, no?), so the volume of air traffic is no surprise. Compared to Bangladesh standards, every internal domestic flight in India is compared to a regional International flight in Bangladesh. India's internal Kolkata to Delhi leg (two and a half hours or less) is comparable only to long-ish regional flight legs like Dhaka-Bangkok or Dhaka-KL. You can't compare Internal flight volumes between India and Bangladesh.

What you didn't get (or maybe you did and didn't address) - was that if you took an undeveloped Indian state the size of Bangladesh and compared the passenger volume within that state, the air passenger-ship volume is still higher and it has been historically so.

Hell - most of your airports (including Delhi) didn't even have air-bridges when Dhaka had them. If Hasina wasn't in power we'd already best any of your airports....

However we are talking about second tier commuter airlines. In the nineties - Vayudoot, your commuter airline failed miserably because of low ridership. Indians a little price-sensitive, eh?

 

[Roybot]

I was thinking 'Chhaira-dey', 'Jaaney do', then I smelled something 'gandhey'. Smelling your BS and shoving it back to you.

India is geographically much larger compared to Bangladesh (it is a subcontinent, no?), so the volume of air traffic is no surprise. Compared to Bangladesh standards, every internal domestic flight in India is compared to a regional International flight in Bangladesh. India's internal Kolkata to Delhi leg (two and a half hours or less) is comparable only to long-ish regional flight legs like Dhaka-Bangkok or Dhaka-KL. You can't compare Internal flight volumes between India and Bangladesh.

What you didn't get (or maybe you did and didn't address) - was that if you took an undeveloped Indian state the size of Bangladesh and compared the passenger volume within that state, the air passenger-ship volume is still higher and it has been historically so.

Hell - most of your airports (including Delhi) didn't even have air-bridges when Dhaka had them. If Hasina wasn't in power we'd already best any of your airports....

However we are talking about second tier commuter airlines. In the nineties - Vayudoot, your commuter airline failed miserably because of low ridership. A little price-sensitive, eh?

The gandagi that your smelt was probably the bs that you have been spewing in your posts.

Coulda woulda shoulda, come brag when you actually achieve anything, and stop living in the past. I would compare the data from past as well, if there was any data available for Bangladesh ! Heck you can't even find any passenger stats from today.

Long distance domestic flight actually cost more than short haul flights, what does that tell you about the spending power of the middle class? Your elite used to travel by flights simply because they had no other option, no railways hardly any roads, these days most travel by car, and flights are only used in urgent situations.

 

[Scavenger]

Unlike India - in Bangladesh most middle-class travelers to higher class passengers have historically (since Pakistan times) used air travel as a means of travelling even half-hour flights (which would mean most flights within Bangladesh). The number of major local airports in the country (not counting airbases) easily exceed a dozen. And there are countless heliports everywhere. Over half of the routes operated since the seventies were with first rate jet equipment (F-28's and such) not war-surplus bheekhari DC-3's or dilapidated Avros like in India.

Why would most educated people care about color schemes on railcars? It's not the epitome of travel like in India.

And leave it up to the Awami govt. and their incompetent railway hacks to bring in 1971 themes and ugly flag colors into everything, even Goddam railway coaches.

Sikorsky S-61N (Leonardo Pinzauti Collection)

This photo from Leonardo's collection shows PIA S-61N helicopter (AP-AOA) at Faridpur Heliport in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). For short-haul operations in East Pakistan's delta region, based on Dacca, PIA set up a network of scheduled helicopter routes, using three amphibious twin-turbine Sikorsky S-61Ns which were delivered between October 1963 and February 1964. The first revenue flight took place on November 25, 1963, the first routes being to Khulna, center of the East Pakistan jute industry, and to Faridpur. The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800lb of cargo. PIA's first five pilots selected for helicopter training completed their conversion training at British European Airways (BEA) training facility at Kidlington near Oxford where they learnt to fly Brantly B-2 light helicopter. They then converted to S-61N at Sikorsky's factory in Connecticut and returned to Pakistan for route flying on a Hiller UH-12E4 before delivery of the S-61Ns.

The value of this new mode of transport lay in the time saved, the 80-mile journey to Khulna, for example, taking 21 hours by surface travel and just 37 minutes by the helicopter. Faridpur, only 36 miles from Dacca, derived even greater advantage by the reduction of journey time from 22 hours to 17 minutes! More than 20 points were served as the complete fleet became available.

Today there are plenty of private airline options locally and there are two new ones being launched this year alone so far. Epic Air being the latest one.

Wow. The venom is literally dripping in your post.

Is this one of your jamaati/BNP upbringing? To hate India and use made up facts to show any kind of superiority.

Yes, in India, trains are a preferred mode of travel ranging from rich to poor as well as using 'bhikhari' planes.

Good to see that in Bangladesh, everyone use flights to travel.

@Roybot meant from an aesthetics point of view. Or visually pleasing if your find the word aesthetics difficult to understand...or 'choice of colours' by the Bangladeshi Rail Ministry if you will.

 

[third eye]

The value of this new mode of transport lay in the time saved, the 80-mile journey to Khulna, for example, taking 21 hours by surface travel and just 37 minutes by the helicopter. Faridpur, only 36 miles from Dacca, derived even greater advantage by the reduction of journey time from 22 hours to 17 minutes! More than 20 points were served as the complete fleet became available.

80 km in 21 hours , 36 miles in 22 hours !!