|
|
|
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of Bangladesh Feedback Contact Us Links |
|
15th August, National Mourning Day
Message from Hon'ble President
Message from Hon'ble Prime Minister
Message from Hon'ble Foreign Minister
|
News Items
The government has decided to set up Union Information Centers (UICs) in all 4,498 unions to bring them under single information connectivity in December next. UNDP supported Access to Information (A2I) Programme under the Prime Minister’s Office is providing technical support to the Local Government Division for setting up the information centers.
Investment in the country is on the rebound, according to various bank credit information. Bankers said, the rise was mainly because of an expansion of the existing factories, increased SME loans and installation of rental power plants. According to Bangladesh Bank, capital machinery imports increased by four percent in the last fiscal year, while the Letters of Credit (L/C) opened to import machinery went up by about 54 percent. The growth of private sector credit recorded a significant 24.24 percent rise in the last fiscal year, which has also exceeded the central bank’s target. Credit to the private sector rose by 24.24 percent to Tk 528.33 billion in July-June period of the fiscal 2009-10 from 14.62 percent to Tk 277.91 billion of the previous fiscal, according to the central bank statistics.
Myanmar has agreed to build two hydropower plants aimed at exporting around 575 mw of electricity to Bangladesh. A Myanmar delegation would visit Dhaka shortly to sign a MoU on the electricity trade between the two neighbouring countries.
The government has declared August 9 as the National Energy Security Day to mark establishment of the country’s ownership on five gas fields in 1975. The government of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman bought those gas fields including Titas, Habiganj, Rashidpur, Koilashtila and Bakhrabad, from Shell Petroleum Company on August 9, 1975 at 4.5 million pounds for ensuring national energy security. The decision to observe the day every year was taken at a cabinet meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to free the nation from the existing power crisis and called upon all to maintain austerity in using gas and electricity in the greater national interest. She greeted her cabinet colleagues as well as the countrymen on the occasion of upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
The government imposed an outright ban on indulging in physical punishment to the students at all educational institutions in the country. An Education Ministry circular asked the district education officers and upazila secondary education officers to take action under the existing law along with departmental action against such misconduct.
Leading local shipbuilders received export orders of world-class seagoing small, large and ice-class vessels worth USD 478 million with a deadline to deliver those by 2013. The local shipbuilders are now receiving many orders from Germany, Denmark, Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries as Bangladesh is increasingly being recognized as an attractive destination for medium and small vessel building.
Export continued to show rising trend with 21.24 percent increase in June this year compared to June last year. Bangladesh Bank monthly report on economic trend for June recorded USD 1,723.5 million export receipts, which is higher by USD 301.9 million or 21.24 percent compared to export receipts in June 2009. Total export earnings in the last financial year also increased by 4.11 percent or USD 639.4 million when the country received USD 16,204.6 million compared to USD 15,565.2 million during 2008-09 financial year.
Bangladesh has scored better than India and Nepal in UNDP's Multidiemnsional Poverty Index (MPI) of South Asian countries. Among 104 countries, Bangladesh is ranked 73, India 74, Nepal 82, Pakistan 70, and Sri Lanka 32, in the MPI released on the 15 July 2010. The 10 indicators in MPI are grouped into three equally weighted dimensions including health (child mortality and nutrition), education (years of schooling and child enrolment), and standard of living (electricity, drinking water, sanitation, flooring, cooking fuel, and assets). The Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) of Oxford University and the Human Development Report Office of UNDP jointly prepared the MPI.
Bangladesh has been ranked fourth in the global apparel exports and grabbed 3 percent market share, according to a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) report. Bangladesh secured the fourth position in terms of value followed by China, EU countries and Turkey. The report was prepared on the basis of export data of 2007 of the respective countries.
The World’s single largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, was named ‘The Venice of Nature’ at a special event at the Shanghai Expo in China on Monday. According to news item posted on the official website of the New7Wonders of Nature, the Sundarbans received the honour for ‘its watery glory’. More info at New7Wonder webiste.
The government of Bangladesh has formed a sub-committee to draft a policy for introducing free education up to degree level in government educational institutions and non-government institutions receiving Monthly Payment Order (MPO). The sub-committee headed by Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Abdul Karim was formed at a high level meeting chaired by Planning Minister AK Khandaker at his office yesterday.
A total of 4000 Union Parishads will get information and service centers by this year under the Access to Information (A2I) programme. A2I Programme Director Md Nazrul Islam Khan and Additional Secretary to the Cabinet Division Khandakar Anwarul Islam said this while exchanging views with the participants at a workshop on A2I programme, held at the Prime Minister’s office yesterday.
The UN Development Programme and the Norwegian government will sign a contribution agreement to further accelerate community-level disaster risk reduction activities and adaptation to climate changes. Under the agreement, Norway will contribute 16 million (approximately TK116 crore) to Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, a flagship project of the UNDP for 2010-14. With the fund, Norway will be the fifth development partner after DFID, EU, SIDA, and AusAid to support CDMP-II, a joint initiative of the government of Bangladesh and the UNDP.
The High Court in a verdict yesterday declared illegal all kinds of extrajudicial punishment including those made in the name of fatwa in local arbitration. The court directed the authorities concerned to take punitive action against the people involved in enforcing fatwa against women. Anyone involved, present or taking part in or assisting any such conviction or execution would come under purview of the offences under the penal code and subject to punishment. Infliction of brutal punishment including caning, whipping and beating in local salish (arbitration) by persons devoid of judicial authority constitutes violation of the constitutional rights, the court declared.
As many as 15 Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies received prospective export orders amounting to USD 29.08 million in a single country trade fair ‘Bangladesh Pharmaceuticals Expo-10,’ held in Manila recently. The three-day trade fair was organized for the first time, by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) in cooperation with the Embassy of Bangladesh in Manila, Philippines from June 16. The fair created a huge opportunity to export pharmaceuticals products to the Philippines and also other South East Asian countries.
The government is going to construct a rail line from Dohazari in Chittagong to Gundhum in Myanmar via Cox’s Bazar to establish link with the proposed Trans-Asia Railway corridor. The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved a Tk 1,852 crore project to construct a single track rail line from Dohazari in Chittagong to Ramu in Cox’s Bazar and from there to Gundhum in Myanmar. Scheduled to kick off sometime this month, the project is expected to be completed in July 2014.
Bangladesh Bank is going to set up 10,000 digital centres across the country to bring the grassroots level people under the digital facilities so that the citizens can avail essential digital services. The objectives of the centres are to provide service like payment of different bills, e-top up, e-ticketing, e-commerce, online share trading, and lottery etc. Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman said the people will be easily acquainted with the digital technology by the centres and they would be able to take its opportunity by paying a nominal charge.
The government yesterday reconstituted the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) by appointing a new chairman and six members. Dr Mizanur Rahman, a law professor of Dhaka University, has been made new chairman of the commission.
The countrywide free distribution of 5.5 million compact energy efficient florescent light bulbs starts on Saturday, 19 June 2010 to save power consumption, Power Secretary M Abul Kalam Azad has said while speaking at a press briefing at his office in Dhaka yesterday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that Bangladesh has innovated ‘Genome Sequencing’ of jute (mystery of origin of jute) after long research by Bangladeshi scientists and researchers. With this great scientific success, Bangladesh joined a few countries in the world and is the only developing country except Malaysia that could innovate the genome sequencing of jute, she told the House yesterday, adding, this innovation would help to develop the jute fiber, increase production of new jute seeds compatible with hostile weather caused by the climate change, curb diseases and help development of the jute industry. Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said that Dhaka has proposed a tri-national committee involving Bangladesh, China and Myanmar for implementation of the proposed road and rail links between Bangladesh and China via Myanmar. She said that the government is giving great importance to the development of children, and it is updating the National Child Policy 1994 to make it time-befitting. T
China proposed to give assistance to Bangladesh for building deep seaport in Chittagong and installing the country’s first space satellite. Beijing also agreed to quick disbursement of its assistance for Pagla Water Treatment Plant and Shahjalal Fertilizer Factory. This was disclosed during the official talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at the PM’s office in Dhaka yesterday. The two leaders agreed to boost co-operation in political, economic and cultural fronts. Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the talks, Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni said, the Chinese side assured more investment in Bangladesh and reduce the bilateral trade imbalance by allowing more Bangladeshi products to have duty-free access to the Chinese market.
A digitalised automatic container handling system will be introduced in Chittagong Port in August this year at a cost of Taka 37 crore. It will be fully activated from January next. Digitalisation of the system would increase the rate of goods handling to provide better service to the port users.
The government has initiated to form student’s council and hold elections at primary schools, Secretary of Primary Education Ministry Abu Alam Md. Shahid Khan said yesterday. The decision is aimed at building democratic attitude and tolerance of others opinions among students and involve them in school development activities, he added.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith will place the national budget for the 2010-11 fiscal in the parliament on June 10 for the first time in country's history in a digital method through power point presentation. People will have access to the budget documents soon after the announcement and they will be able to download the documents and send feedback about the budget on the designated websites. All the documents will be available on the websites including www.mof.gov.bd , www.bangladesh.gov.bd, www.nbr-bd.org, www.plancomm.gov.bd, www.imed.gov.bd, www.bdpressinform.org and www.pmo.gov.bd. The budget ias expected to give special attention to some key sectors, including power and infrastructure, and will adress faster implementation of the annual development programme (ADP). The Minister would also present the annual financial statement, supplementary budget, combined demand for grants, consolidated fund receipt and the Bangladesh Economic Review.
Bangladesh Government has decided to form a limited company named Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund (BIFF) which will finance companies that will be involved in Bangladesh's infrastructure projects. The company will receive an initial fund from the government and will issue bond, other debt instruments, equity offering and use other internationally practiced financing mechanism to raise fund from foreign and local investors for investment in targeted sectors.
Bangladesh signed a MoU with development partners on establishing a climate change fund to channelize USD 110 million or more in grant funds to millions of Bangladeshis in order to build their resilience to the effects of climate change. The fund will support implementation of Bangladesh's Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan for 2009-2018, by supporting vulnerable community in adapting greater climate uncertainty and changing agricultural conditions.
The cabinet at its meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved the National Education Policy-2010 aimed to introduce a science and technology-based modern education system with the spirit of War of Liberation and education for all without any discrimination. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said, the new education policy was endorsed restructuring the education levels with provision for free and compulsory primary schooling from class five to class eight. A terminal examination would be held at upazila municipality and thana level on a common question paper at the end of class ten. Besides, according to the new policy, all students will get the chance to study their respective religions as well as moral education. The policy envisages the aim of madrasah education to build ‘good faith in almighty Allah and his prophet (SM) and enable the students to perceive the essence of Islam, the religion of peace’. It also ulates that aligning with other modes of education religion and moral education will be studied at the ‘Ebtedayee’ or primary level education of madrasahs along with compulsory subjects like Bangla, English, Bangladesh Studies, Mathematics, Social Studies, Environment and Climate Change and Science.
Bangladesh signed a joint declaration on climate change with Cambodia, Maldives and European Union (EU) in Dhaka yesterday to help the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Asia to adapt to the effects of climate change. State Minister for Environment and Forests Dr Hasan Mahmud, Maldives Housing, Transport and Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam, Environment Secretary of Cambodia Thuk Kroeun Vutha and EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard signed the joint declaration for their respective side.
The cabinet approved the draft of the Expatriates’ Welfare Bank Act-2010 with an objective to provide financial assistance for the people intending to go abroad for employment. The approval was given at a cabinet meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The total capital of the Expatriates’ Welfare Bank would be Tk 500 crore and paid up capital will be Tk 100 crore, out which the government will provide 5 percent and the rest of 95 percent would come from the Wage Earners Fund. The Prime Minister said the people could take loan for going abroad for jobs and even the expatriate Bangladeshis would be able to invest their hard-earned money in the country through the bank. She directed the authorities concerned to take speedy measurers in setting-up the bank in the greater interest of the nation. She said expatriates sent remittance of Tk 73,000 crore in last fiscal which is a remarkable support to energize the country’s economy and hoped that the bank would work for the welfare of the expatriate workers.
Bangladesh is going to achieve complete food security soon through large-scale countrywide farming of flash-flood tolerant Aman varieties from this season to ultimately produce an additional six million tones paddy annually. The farmers became happy following release of seeds of Swarna Sub 1 as BRRI dhan 51 and BR 11 Sub 1 as BRRI dhan 52 last month by the technical committee of the National Seed Board enabling them large-scale farming and producing the seeds commercially. Rice scientists of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) successfully completed all field level experiments, researches and validation of these flash-flood tolerant variety paddies in recent years. The government went to the large-scale farming of these paddies from this season as the experiments showed that the varieties can sustain 10 to 17 days submergence paving the way of producing five tones paddy per hectare in the vast flash flood prone areas.
Chittagong Export Processing Zone of Bangladesh is in 3rd position in Best Cost Competitiveness and in 4th position in Best Economic Potential for 2010/2011 in a Global Competition of Economic Zones conducted by FDI magazine of The Financial Times, London.
Standard & Poors (S&P) has rated Bangladesh BB- in the first ever sovereign credit rating of the country which shows the potential of the country as an attractive destination of foreign investment. Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Ba3 rating for Bangladesh which is more or less similar to the BB- rating by S&P.
Bangladesh is taking drastic measures to improve the power supply situation in the country. In this course it has planned to add another 9500 MW (792MW in 2010, 920MW in 2011, 2269MW in 2012, 1675MW in 2013, 1170MW in 2014, and 2600MW in 2015) of electricity to its grid by the year 2015.
Bangladesh shipbuilder Ananda Shipyard delivered on 03 April 2010 to the Danish shipping company Stella Shipping its second cargo ship manufactured for Denmark. The 81.35 meters long and 13.15 meters wide cargo ship 'Stella Moon' has a carrying capacity of 29000 tonnes. |
|
