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Source: The New Nation - Internet Edition


Bangladesh' trade show in USA in Oct


UNB, Dhaka



As in the previous year, "Made in Bangladesh" trade show will be held in the USA this year as well.

Bangladeshi advertising firm Mattra and USA-based First Multipurpose Services (FMS), in association with the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), will jointly organise the exclusive exhibition of the Bangladeshi products.

The 5-day fair will begin October 2, 2009 at Penn Plaza Pavilion Exhibition Hall at Manhattan in New York.

Addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday, Mattra and FMS officials said that last year, 34 local firms participated in the 3-day single country fair held at the same venue.

"This year, we are expecting more participation from the local firms as last year's participants got a good business," said Mattra chief Afzal Hossain.

FMS's founder president Hossain Jabbar said they would arrange the buyers-sellers connectivity to further promote the Bangladeshi exports to the USA.

He, however, said the potential business firms would have to secure the US visa at their own responsibility. "Business firms will apply for visa with their own merits and organisers will have no role in this regard," he added.

Mattra chief executive officer Anisur Rahman Mahmud said the registration process for participation in the proposed fair would begin immediately and continue until July next.

The exhibition would take place on a big premises - of 40,000 square feet, he informed.

FMS director of events Raghib Ahsan and managing partner of Mattra Sanaul Arefeen were present at the press conference.
 
Source: Bangladesh plans to construct its proposed longest bridge by 2014_English_Xinhua


Bangladesh plans to construct its proposed longest bridge by 2014


English_Xinhua
2009-01-14

DHAKA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Construction of the proposed Padma Bridge, to be the longest one in Bangladesh, will start in 2011 and be completed in three years to connect the southwest region with capital Dhaka, The Daily Star reported on Wednesday.

Bangladesh's Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain was quoted by the leading English newspaper as saying that the process to appoint a consultant to finalize the design of the bridge will be completed by this month.

And then the tender will be floated, the minister told reporters here on Tuesday.

He said, after the bridge is constructed, the gross domestic product of the southwest region will increase by 2 percent.

An estimated 101.61 billion taka (about 1.45 billion U.S. dollars) will be spent on the Padma Bridge over the Padma river (Ganges), one of the three biggest rivers in the country.

As per the initial proposal, the bridge with 5.58 km length and 25 meters width, will have a rail line that will eventually become part of a proposed trans-Asian rail link.

The decision to construct the bridge was taken back in 2001 but dilly-dally over selecting the construction sites delayed the process.


Editor: Yang Lina
 
Worlds biggest Textile Mill will be setup in Gazipur
The Daily Ittefaq - January 15, 2009

Worlds biggest shoe factory will be setup in Chttagong
:The Daily Star: Internet Edition


Good going Bangladesh

I am fully convinced that BD will be one of the role models not only for Muslim countries but for many more. As mentioned on another thread, BD products in USA are much mopre superior to those coming from China. If all goes well, in five years BD will be a developed nation. No one talks of BD going to IMF or world bank for bail outs now.

Good luck BD..

RK
 
Source: Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan


Pakistan to tour Bangladesh from March 7-23


Staff Report

KARACHI: Pakistan will tour Bangladesh to play two Twenty20 and five one-dayers, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday. “The Pakistan team will leave for the Bangladesh tour on March 7 and play two Twenty20 matches in Dhaka on March 10 and 12, before playing the first three one-dayers in Dhaka on March 13, 15 and 17,” the PCB said. The remaining two one-dayers will be played in Chittagong on March 20 and 22. Pakistan have not played a Test in Bangladesh since 2001.
 
Bapex eyes 2.5tcf new gas in 7 years
Set to become strong player in oil and gas

Sharier Khan

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company (Bapex) aims at striking around 2.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) gas and providing an extra 200 million cubic feet gas per day (mcfd) within next seven years.

The long-ignored and cash-starved Bapex has set to achieve its first operating profit from next year and become a well-paying and high-end job provider by 2013 thanks to a policy intervention and a seven-year package of Tk 3,200 crore investment promised by the caretaker government.

From now until 2011, Bapex is expected to recruit 370 officers.

Till 2015-16, Bapex plans to drill 15 exploration wells and strike gas in at least six instances.

Since its inception in 1989, Bapex was given only eight projects till last year, leaving exploration and development of the oil and gas sector to foreign companies almost entirely.

As a result, Bapex now produces a paltry 40 mcfd gas, while four foreign companies -- Chevron, Cairn, Tullow and Niko -- produce around 700 mcfd.

Bapex was so sidelined that when it was created out of Petrobangla, it was given no producing gas fields, which could ensure its income and development.

Instead, it relied on percentage from Petrobangla against its past discoveries and assets (which were given to Sylhet Gas Field Company Ltd and Bangladesh Gas Field Company Ltd).

When it started producing gas from two small fields of Fenchuganj and Salda, it was offered a tariff of only Tk 7 per thousand cubic metres, while the foreign oil companies get close to three dollars (or around Tk 200) for the same.

Petrobangla sold the same gas at Tk 93. Bapex's gas production cost is between Tk 25 and Tk 50 per mcf.

In August last year, the government responding to a proposal from Bapex increased its gas sales tariff to Tk 25 per mcf effective from July 2008 and assured it of a seven-year investment of Tk 3,200 crore.

Now Bapex is suddenly over-loaded with several exploration projects. The state-owned company is also recruiting a good number of officers under a new organogram to bring in fresh blood in its activities.

As there had been no fresh recruitment of officers, both Bapex and Petrobangla now lack adequate experts to look after the national interests.

Presently, Bapex employs 350 officers and 700 staffs. The new organogram aims at having 600 officers and 850 other office staffs.

Of the 850 staffs, 450 serving as peons, cleaners, etc would be outsourced as Bapex would employ only technical and professional staffs.

"Till 2011, we'll recruit 370 officers. Of them, we aim to retain at least 50 percent," says Bapex Managing Director Muhammad Imaduddin.

"We also intend to make Bapex job attractive and double the present salary structure by 2013. We will not depend on the government for the pay," he adds.

"It has been well recognised that in the oil and gas sector, competent manpower cannot be retained without an attractive salary package."

Putting importance on developing manpower, he said, "Who is going to oversee the activities under the Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) for Petrobangla? Such people will have to be developed and Bapex would do that."

Imaduddin's financial forecast is also clear. In 2007-08, Bapex earned Tk 46.4 crore, of which Tk 37.5 crore came from Petrobangla as "Bapex margin" and the rest from sales of 11 billion cubic feet (bcf) gas.

With an overhead expenditure of Tk 78 crore, Bapex had to rely on earnings as the third party contractor for other gas companies.

This earning will change from the current fiscal year as the government has increased the gas tariff to Tk 25 per mcf. This year, Bapex would sell 17 bcf and earn Tk 45 crore and also get Tk 37 crore from Petrobangla. There will be a revenue deficit of Tk 4.5 crore.

But from 2009-10, Bapex is likely not to face any deficit. That year it is projected to sell 24 bcf gas for Tk 60 crore and draw a Tk 41 crore Bapex margin. After its overhead expenditure, Bapex would be left with Tk 6 crore surplus.

In 2010-11, Bapex expects the government to increase its gas tariff to Tk 50 mcf as it has already been promised. It will then increase the company's earning to Tk 183 crore by selling 36 bcf gas. It will also take Bapex margin of Tk 45 crore and enjoy a surplus of Tk 123 crore.

From 2011-12, Bapex will no longer take the margin from Petrobangla, but it would sell 50 bcf gas and enjoy a revenue surplus of Tk 136 crore. By 2015-16, it aims at selling 72 bcf gas and enjoying a surplus of Tk 184 crore.

"By 2011, we hope to supply 140 mcfd gas to the national grid. But this is only 6 percent of the total gas supply. If we continue to get support, then we will start to make profit," Imaduddin notes.

"For years, Bapex was ignored. But now there is a sudden focus. If the government invests 3,200 crore taka by 2015, we believe Bapex will become self-reliant on drilling and exploration and have a strong manpower base," he hopes.

The Daily Star - Details News
 
Source: Senior U.S. Diplomat In Bangladesh | AHN | February 7, 2009

February 7, 2009 6:20 a.m. EST
Siddique Islam - AHN Correspondent


Dhaka, Bangladesh (AHN) - U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard A. Boucher arrived in Bangladesh Saturday on a two-day visit to the country.

Mr. Boucher landed at the Zia International Airport in the capital, Dhaka early Saturday.

Trade and terrorism are on the top of his discussion list with both the government and opposition leaders.

The issues of cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States in the area of counter-terrorism as well as pursuing a deal on the proposed Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) will feature prominently during the talks between Boucher and Bangladesh government officials, officials said.

During his stay in Dhaka, the U.S. diplomat will meet leader of the opposition and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun on Saturday

Boucher will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni and State Minister Dr Hassan Mahmud on Sunday.

This is the first high-level visit by an American dignitary since the installation of the two new governments in Dhaka and Washington in January, 2009.

Mr. Boucher last visited Bangladesh in May 2008, when the caretaker government was in office, and now comes after change of power to an elected government.
 
Bangladeshi student makes robot


Ashraful Alam Shimul, a Master's student of the Department of Applied Physics, Electronics & Communication Engineering of Islamic University made this office file carrier Robot. He used locally collected simple and cheap electrical and mechanical parts to make it. He claimed that this Robot can bear various official files or letters from one place to another successfully. It will even be able to bear heavy tools if the technology is improved, he also said. As part of M.Sc thesis work he got the success under the supervision of the department teacher Khalilur Rahaman. He also got assitance from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) students Morshed, Siam and Palash, says a press release.

Shimul, about his Robot, says that it is needed initially to make a visible line on the floor, which is deeper in color than other parts of the floor. The Robot moves one place to another successfully following this particular line. He says, structurally, the Robot has two major part electrical part and mechanical part. The electrical part includes four units: Censor unit which works as eye of the Robot, controller unit or the brain of the Robot made of a micro-processor which controls all other units, calling unit which is made of a voice type calling bell and which calls some one to give or take files or letters and power supply unit which supplies power to the Robot.

In the Mechanical part units include DC Motor which provides necessary force to the wheels of the Robot, Gear box which controls excess power taken from the DC motor and Main body of the Robot which is made of smooth and transparent crystal sheet which includes structure and file box of the Robot.

The inventor of the office file carrier Robot, Shimul claimed that the mechanical response of the Robot is very much effective though it has been built without following the modern technology of Robot building.
 
Source:Bangladesh to build road, railway links with Myanmar_English_Xinhua


Bangladesh to build road, railway links with Myanmar


English_Xinhua 2009-02-08 13:28:27

DHAKA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's communications minister said the government will build connecting road and railway from the country's southeastern bordering part to Myanmar, leading English newspaper The Daily Star reported on Sunday.

Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said this on Saturday in the country's southeast Cox's Bazar district after visiting the location of the proposed China-Myanmar-Bangladesh friendship road and railway at Myanmar border close to Myanmar's Ghum Dhum town.

Hossain told reporters there his government has sent proposals to Myanmar government to this effect and is awaiting a response to start planning and other physical mobilization.

The project to build the road and railway connecting Bangladesh's Ukhia to Myanmar's Ghum Dhum point was initiated some 10 years ago, the newspaper said.

The minister said the Bangladeshi government is looking forward to opening a new horizon in the area of trade, people to people connectivity and economic development of the southeastern region that will extend up to China after the construction of the road and railway.

The country's southeast region will become a new economic zone to benefit all three countries, Hossain said.


Editor: Du Guodong
 
Source:Now, KKR target Bangladesh - News - News - Times of India Cricket - IPL

Mashrafe Mortaza in IPL

NEW DELHI: After bagging Bangladesh pacer Mashrafe Mortaza for a whopping $600,000 at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Goa, Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders are hoping to build on their increasing popularity across the eastern border by staging some practice-cum-exhibition matches in Dhaka next month.

The matches will be staged before actual IPL action kicks off on April 10.

According to IPL sources, the KKR team management and the Bangladesh cricket board are in talks to organise these matches, with the dates to be confirmed in due course. ‘‘KKR is yet to confirm the dates, but they are certainly planning to visit Bangladesh for three to four days to play some practice games,’’ an IPL source told TOI on Sunday.

Will KKR also cash on the team’s merchandising prospects in Bangladesh? Source say KKR got a call from the Bangladesh cricket board a couple of days ago and King Khan’s men were told about the team’s popularity in that part of the world.

‘‘We know that Bangladesh loves it’s cricket. If the Kolkata team featuring a local player like Mortaza plays a match against Bangladesh, cricket fans are going to enjoy every bit of it,’’ a source said.

Prior to these proposed exhibition cum practice matches, KKR will also have a conditioning camp in Kolkata to select a preliminary squad of 22 from 50-odd players. The camp is tentatively scheduled from March 16.
 
Old ghosts return to haunt Bangladeshi politics
Friday, February 13, 2009
By Shafiq Alam

A string of political murders, violent street protests and a parliamentary boycott all suggest that Bangladesh is quickly falling back into its old troubling ways after recent elections, analysts say.

The polls, won by the Awami League of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, were hailed by international monitoring groups as a huge success that crowned two years of relative stability under an army-backed government.

Voting was meant to usher in a new era of democratic rule but just six weeks later, political violence is spreading across the country, with police saying more than two dozen people have been murdered.

Awami League officials who were out of power for seven long years are allegedly behind many of the deaths as they settle scores with activists of the defeated Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Ataur Rahman, a political analyst at Dhaka University, says he can detect many symptoms of Bangladesh’s “ugly old-style politics.” “Our politics of revenge have come back again with a renewed vigour.

Parties are settling scores, and students and political activists are feeling free to do whatever they can. We are again at our prejudiced best,” he said.

“It shows that our politicians haven’t learnt anything in the past two years or from history.”

The BNP, which had won 2001 polls, has boycotted parliament — a favourite wrecking tactic used often throughout Bangladesh’s history of dysfunctional politics.

The trigger for the walkout was an apparently petty dispute about seating arrangements, but the BNP quickly brought proceedings to a standstill and shows no sign of backing down.

In another sign of trouble since the new Awami League government took over, thousands of student activists — a major political force in Bangladesh — have clashed with police almost every day, leaving hundreds of people injured.

Many universities and colleges have been shut due to the street violence, which has also brought traffic chaos back to the country’s main cities.

“We thought that free and fair elections would solve many of the problems that wracked previous democratic administrations,” said Salahuddin Aminuzzman, a political scientist also at Dhaka University.

In 2007, street fighting between the Awami League and BNP prompted an army-backed government to take control and — with foreign support — introduce reforms designed to halt the downwards spiral in Bangladeshi politics.

The interim government began a major campaign to clean up politics, including a UN-funded photographic electoral roll which knocked 13 million fake names off the register.

But it failed in its efforts to end the dominance of Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia, who have maintained a debilitating rivalry for decades.

In all three elections since democracy was restored to the country in 1991, the losers never accepted the results and began a series of protests and strikes immediately after the polls.

“Expectations were high that both Awami League and BNP would this time start to behave differently,” Aminuzzman said. “But the ruling party is not making any concessions and its activists are on a violent rampage. The BNP has also shown intolerance.

It seems the old revenge politics is back in its all fury.” The seeds of future unrest are already being sown, according to Professor Manzur Hasan, head of the Institute of Governance Studies at Dhaka’s BRAC University.

“I’ve toured the country over the past week and talked to scores of people who are becoming very disappointed,” he said.

“They thought things would be different but events over the last few weeks have disheartened them.”

Old ghosts return to haunt Bangladeshi politics
 
Source: BBC NEWS | South Asia | Boat capsizes in south Bangladesh


Boat capsizes in south Bangladesh


A number of people are feared missing after a ferry with more than 60 passengers collided with a cargo boat and capsized in Bangladesh, police say.

They say rescuers had found the body of a woman, but many of the passengers had swum ashore.

The accident happened on the river Kirtankhola, southern Bangladesh, in dense early morning fog.

Boat and ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh's many rivers, due to poor safety standards and overloading.

Local police official Nuruzzaman Chowdhury was quoted by the Associated Press as saying the accident took place near the town of Barisal, about 120km (75 miles) south of the capital, Dhaka.
 
Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/02/20092284754380240.html

Dhaka mutineers 'to be punished'

Bangladesh's army has vowed that those responsible for the bloodshed during a revolt by border guards in Dhaka, the capital, will be punished.

The threat of not sparing the guilty came even as the search resumed on Saturday for dozens of army officers still missing following the revolt, that left dozens dead.

Firefighters searching the headquarters of Bangladesh's border guards uncovered the bodies of dozens of senior officers, killed during the force's two-day mutiny and hurriedly dumped into shallow graves and sewers.

Among the bodies was the chief of the border security force.

The death toll from the revolt now stands at 66, with about 70 officers still missing.

'No pardon'

Lieutenant General MA Mubin, the army second-in-command, vowed that the rank-and-file guards who turned on their superiors would be punished.

The BDR [Bangladesh Rifles] troops who took part in these barbaric and grisly acts cannot be pardoned and will not be pardoned," he said in a national television address on Saturday.

"They will be given exemplary and quick punishment by a special tribunal. The martyrs will be buried with state honours."

Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a cabinet minister, said: "These senior military personnel have been killed in a planned and calculated manner. It's a grisly slaughter. We will punish these criminals."

Sheikh Hasina, who took office as Bangladesh's prime minister two months ago, had promised a general amnesty for those who surrendered, but after meeting with relatives of the dead officers, Hasina promised that the amnesty would not apply to those responsible for the killings.

"No one has the right to kill anyone," she said.

Mass graves

Tensions in the BDR erupted into violence on Wednesday when senior officers rejected appeals for more pay, subsidised food and holidays.

The guards agreed to put down their arms only after Hasina appeared on national television and threatened to put down the mutiny by force.

Following the border guards' surrender on Thursday, search teams moved into the Bangladesh Rifles compound that houses the guards and many of their families.

In one corner of the compound two mass graves contained the bodies of slain officers.

Firefighters used crowbars to pry off manhole covers and recover more corpses stuffed into sewers.

Mass funeral

Sheikh Mizanur Rahman, who is heading the rescue operation, said no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for the missing senior military personnel.

"We are uncovering every manhole, looking at every piece of land," he said.

A mass funeral for the military personnel was expected to be held once all bodies had been recovered.

Bangladesh has been observing three days of national mourning since Friday.

The insurrection erupted from the guards' longtime frustrations that their pay has failed to keep pace with soldiers in the army, anger aggravated by the rise in food prices that has accompanied the global economic crisis.

The guards earn about $100 a month.
 
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Source: The Daily Star - Details News


BRAC University makes Bangladesh proud at SAUFEST ‘09

M. Sanjeeb HossainThe 4th South Asian Universities Youth Festival, popularly known as SAUFEST, was hosted by Panjab University in Chandigarh, India. A total of 29 teams representing universities from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka took part in this prestigious cultural event involving the whole South Asian region. BRAC University represented Bangladesh at SAUFEST 2009 and made our country proud by winning the most coveted prize for 'Best Team of the Festival.' To widen the Bangladeshi smile even further, Nazia Ahmed of the BRAC University team won the 'Best Vocalist of the Festival' award!

The 14-member BRAC University team arrived at Panjab University campus on February 11, 2009. The events began the day after and Shabnam Mostafa, an architect to be, of the BRAC team staged a sensational classical dance performance to Nelly Furtado's "Powerless." The fact that the lyric of the song has some Punjabi words thrown in was a way of celebrating the merging of cultures.

Apart from Nazia Ahmed's unforgettable renditions of ever-familiar Bangla folk songs "Har kala", "Shonar moina pakhi" and "Nao chhariya dey," Adrita Anwar and S.M. Miftahuzzaman sang a lovely duet, Tagore's "Bela jey jaye." Adrita sang another Rabindra Sangeet "Bhalobashi bhalobashi." Miftahuzzaman presented a solo performance of a song written by one of the BRAC team members. Another BRAC member, Ahmed Bin Parvez sang "Shorbonasha Padma nodi." Singers formed the majority of the BRAC team and it was completed by Salman Raihan Khan, who set the stage on fire with a charged performance of Ayub Bachchu's "Shei tumi." The young Bangladeshi singers rounded up with a chorus of "Purbo digontey shurjo uthhechhey." The forcefulness of the vocals reverberated in the air.

The BRAC team also took part in debate. BRAC students Fahim Mostafa and M. Sanjeeb Hossain parted ways and debated each other as well as debaters from other countries. The motion was, "Youth is the most potent force to establish peace in South Asia." Sanjeeb's utopian aspiration of seeing a united South Asia through the enlightened young was well received, along with Fahim's extempore cynicism of relying on the youth alone.

Tamanna Zaman Khondoker, another dancer of the BRAC team, performed with "Dokhina," a Santali song. Tamanna teamed up with the other Bangladeshi dancer, Shabnam, and performed with "Takdum takdum baajey Bangladesh-er dhol." The performance garnered rounds of applause and cheers.

The mime piece by Syed Parvez Imran and Md. Mehedi Hasan Tusar was also a hit with the audience. The symbolic storyline, brainchild of the BRAC University team leader Dr. Tureen Afroz, brought to light a key issue: how the bigger South Asian countries impose their policies and visions on their smaller neighbours. The skit showed that no matter how powerful a country might be, bad times often arrive unexpectedly, and it is the neighbour -- big or small -- that comes forward with a helping hand.

Md. Amjad Hossain Siddique offered his instrumental expertise with many of the performances of the BRAC team members.

All in all, SAUFEST 2009 was an uplifting experience for the participating young men and women from Bangladesh. The BRAC teams raised the Bangladeshi flag to greater heights at the event. Here's hoping more such achievements by Bangladeshi youth are on the horizon.


The writer is a student of BRAC University
 
Source: WB approves $81 mln to improve Bangladesh's higher education_English_Xinhua

WB approves $81 mln to improve Bangladesh's higher education

English_Xinhua

DHAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) Wednesday approved an 81 million U.S. dollars interest-free credit to Bangladesh to improve the quality of teaching and research in the country's higher education institutions.

The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessionary arm, will support Bangladesh's Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project, a WB press release said.

The project will support both innovation and accountability within universities and enhance the technical and institutional capacity of the higher education sector, the release said.

In Bangladesh gross primary school enrollment rate is around 90 percent, and secondary school enrollment has more than doubled since independence in 1971. However, similar progress has not been realized at the higher education level.

World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh Zhu Xian said in the release higher education is vitally important to energize Bangladesh's economy and to boost its investment climate.

He said the project will fund activities which can bring rapid and visible benefits to the academic community, and help more Bangladesh youth enroll in universities.

The project also aims to integrate Bangladesh's universities in the globalized world of knowledge. Under the project a Bangladesh Research and Education Network, a high performance Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) network, will be set up.

The network will provide connectivity among education and research institutions in both public and private sectors to enable academics, scientists, and researchers to communicate with their peers within the country and globally.

The credit has 40 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period and it carries a service charge of 0.75 percent.


Editor: Deng Shasha
 

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