Day: June 8, 2022

Finland is keen to cooperate with Bangladesh in the field of sustainable and renewable energy, said Finnish non-resident ambassador to Bangladesh Ritva Koukku-Ronde on Wednesday.

The envoy, who resides in New Delhi, said this while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganobhaban.

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

The envoy handed over a letter of greetings from Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin to Sheikh Hasina, marking the 50th anniversary of Finland-Bangladesh diplomatic relations.

The Bangladesh Prime Minister also conveyed her greetings to her Finnish counterpart on the occasion.

The Finnish diplomat said the cooperation between Bangladesh and Finnish multinational telecommunications company Nokia can be strengthened.

Ritva said her country will work on the Rohingya issue in the United Nations agencies.

Finland eager to support Bangladesh’s sustainable development: Envoy

In this context, Hasina said Rohingya refugees have become a big burden for the economy of Bangladesh. The local people are suffering a lot for the Rohingya people, she said.

“We don’t allow any insurgency on the Myanmar border,” she said.

The PM mentioned that her government signed the Chittagong Hill Tract Treaty in 1997 through bilateral negotiations and 1800 armed cadres surrendered their arms at that time.

Noting that Bangladesh has set up a good number of hi-tech parks, Hasina invited the Finnish companies to invest there.

As the impacts of the Ukraine-Russia war came up for discussion, the premier said, “We don’t want war. Our (foreign) policy is friendship to all and malice towards none.”

She said Bangladesh imports fertilizer but now the shipping cost has gone up significantly.

The PM said Bangladesh needs support from developed countries for its development.

She said Bangladesh continues agro research for its food security. No arable land will remain uncultivated to grow more food in the country, she said.

Honorary Consul General of Finland to Bangladesh Muhammed Aziz Khan was present during the meeting.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

To enjoy this offer, tickets must be purchased from the NOVOAIR sales counter by June 30, and travel must be completed by July 31, said a media release.

NOVOAIR offered free room hotels in Cox’s Bazar are:

Ocean Paradise Hotel & Resort, Hotel The Cox Today, Seagull Hotel, Neeshorgo Hotel & Resort, Windy Terrace Hotel, and Grace Cox Smart Hotel. Apart from this offer, NOVOAIR announced attractive holiday packages with other renowned hotels.

NOVOAIR operates daily flights from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar at 7:45am, 8:45am, 10am, 11am, 2:20pm, and 4pm.

Similarly, flights from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka are operated daily at 9:20am, 10:20am, 11:35am, 12:35pm, 3:55pm and 5:35pm.

Apart from Cox’s Bazar, NOVOAIR operates daily flights from Dhaka to Chattogram, Jashore, Saidpur, Sylhet, Barishal, and Rajshahi and international destinations in Kolkata, it added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The deadly fire at BM Container Depot in Sitakunda was fully doused Wednesday morning, nearly 85 hours after the incident which has so far claimed 44 lives, said firefighting officials.

Finally the firefighters managed to douse the flame around 10 am, said Anisur Rahman, deputy director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defense.

They are still conducting the dumping work at the depot and they will continue it today.

Now the firefighters are engaged in clearing the damaged containers and spraying water there, he said.

The death toll from the deadly fire rose to 44, with a 36-year-old man succumbing to his burn injuries at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Masud Rana, a worker of the container depot. He was originally from Sarishabari in Jamalpur district.

Masud had been undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit where he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours, said Dr Harunur Rashid of the hospital.

Masud’s body will be handed over to his family later in the day, said assistant sub-inspector Alauddin, in-charge of CMCH police outpost.

Meanwhile, the condition of many victims, who sustained burn injuries in the fire, is critical, said deputy commissioner Mominur Rahman.

The fire and subsequent blasts at the container depot left over 200 people wounded. Around 130 people are currently undergoing treatment at the burn unit of CMCH.

Earlier, on Tuesday noon, the firefighters recovered two bodies from the debris, taking the death toll to 43.

However, what caused the fire could not be known yet. Already three probe teams have been formed to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s socio economic development over the past 50 years has been surprising despite problems of alleged corruption, poor intuitional capacity and natural disasters.

Dismissed as a basket case at independence in 1971, Bangladesh has braved stiff hurdles to become self-sufficient in food grains production and made good progress in manufacturing sector too.

This remarkable progress is best illustrated by a chronology of the national budgets since 1972.

In 1972, the budget of Bangladesh was Tk 786 crore while the gross domestic product (GDP) was USD $6.288 billion. As per the GDP, per capita income was $94.4 or Tk566 in 1972 and the population was about 70 million.

In the fiscal year 2021-22 the country’s budget size swelled to Tk 603681 crore ($ 71 billion), the estimated GDP was $465 billion. The population Bangladesh is stood at over 160 million in 2021.

The provisional estimate for per capita income in 2021-22 was $2,824, up from $2,591 in the previous year, accoding to a Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report. “In nominal terms, Bangladesh’s GDP stands at $465 billion in the current fiscal year.

Braving flood, cyclone and drought, the economy has grown steadily since the independence. Bangladesh has achieved remarkable success in food production, manufacturing and manpower export.

Bangladesh is characterized as a developing economy. It is the 41st largest in the world in nominal terms or at current prices, and 30th largest by purchasing power equivalence; international dollars at current prices.

At a glance Bangladesh’s budget:

Fiscal Year – by Whom – Annual Outlay-

1972-’73 Tajuddin Ahmed Tk 786 crore

1973-’74 Tajuddin Ahmed Tk 995 crore

1974-’75 Tajuddin Ahmed Tk 1,084.37 crore

1975-’76 Azizur Rahman Tk 1,549.19 crore

1976-’77 Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman Tk 1,989.87 crore

1977-’78 Lt. Gen. Ziaur Rahman Tk 2,184 crore

1978-’79 President Ziaur Rahman Tk 2,499 crore

1979-’80 MN Huda Tk 3,317 crore

1980-’81 M Saifur Rahman Tk 4,108 crore

1981-’82 M Saifur Rahman Tk 4,677 crore

1982-’83 AMA Muhith Tk 4,738 crore

1983-’84 AMA Muhith Tk 5,896 crore

1984-’85 M Sayeduzzaman Tk 6,699 crore

1985-’86 M Sayeduzzaman Tk 7,138 crore

1986-’87 M Sayeduzzaman Tk 8,504 crore

1987-’88 M Sayeduzzaman Tk 8527 crore

1988-’89 Maj Gen (rtd) Munim Tk 10,565 crore

1989-’90 Wahidul Haq Tk 12,703 crore

1990-’91 Maj Gen (rtd) Munim Tk 12,960 crore

1991-’92 M Saifur Rahman Tk 15,584 crore

1992-’93 M Saifur Rahman Tk 17,607 crore

1993-’94 M Saifur Rahman Tk 19,050 crore

1994-’95 M Saifur Rahman Tk 20,948 crore

1995-’96 M Saifur Rahman Tk 23,170 crore

1996-’97 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 24,603 crore

1997-’98 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 27,786 crore

1998-’99 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 29,537 crore

1999-’00 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 34,252 crore

2000-’01 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 38,524 crore

2001-’02 Shah AMS Kibria Tk 42,306 crore

2002-’03 M Saifur Rahman Tk 44,854 crore

2003-’04 M Saifur Rahman Tk 51,980 crore

2004-’05 M Saifur Rahman Tk 57,248 crore

2005-’06 M Saifur Rahman Tk 61,058 crore

2006-’07 M Saifur Rahman Tk 69,740 crore

2007-’08 AB Mirza Azizul Islam Tk 87,137 crore

2008-’09 AB Mirza Azizul Islam Tk 99,962 crore

2009-’10 AMA Muhith Tk 113,815 crore

2010-’11 AMA Muhith Tk 132,170 crore

2011-’12 AMA Muhith Tk 165,000 crore

2012-’13 AMA Muhith Tk 191,738 crore

2013-’14 AMA Muhith Tk 222,491 crore

2014-’15 AMA Muhith Tk 250,506 crore

2015-’16 AMA Muhith Tk 295,100 crore

2016-’17 AMA Muhith Tk 340,605 crore

2017-18, AMA Muhith Tk 4, 00,266 crore

2018-19, AMA Muhith Tk4, 64,573 crore

2019-20, AHM Mustafa Kamal Tk 5, 23,190 crore

2020-21 AHM Mustafa Kamal Tk 5, 68,000 crore

Source: United News of Bangladesh

A ‘special mango train’ will operate on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route from June 13 to transport mangoes at lower cost, said authority on Wednesday.

The special train will start its journey from Rahanpur railway station in the afternoon on June 13, said Rajshahi Railway (West) General Manager Asim Kumar Talukder.

The first Mango Special Train was inaugurated on 5 June, 2020 to transport mangoes from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka .

The train, which ran till July 21 of that year, transported 167 metric tonnes (MTs) of mangoes. Bangladesh Railway earned revenue of Tk 2.11 lakh.

The train was launched for the second time on May 27 last year and it transported 236 MTs of mangoes till July 16. The revenue was Tk 13.44 lakh.

Chapainawabganj Railway Assistant Station Master Obaidullah said the cost of mango transportation this year has not been fixed yet.

However, the train has been transporting mangoes at the rate of Tk 1.31 per kg for the last two years.

The train having the capacity of carrying 150 metric tonnes (MT) in its five wagons will depart Chapainawabganj for Dhaka via Rajshahi every day.

The train will have stoppage for loading mangoes at 14 stations on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka rail route.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Wholesale Spice Traders Association has said there is no possibility of price hike in spices as there is no shortage of spices in the market ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Md. Enayet Ullah, president of association, said this during a discussion on stocks, imports, supply and price situation of daily essential commodities organised by FBCCI on Wednesday with Moulvibazar Traders’ Association.

Moulavibazar Traders Association Syed Md. Bashir Uddin said if anyone attempts to manipulate the market ahead of Eid, the association will take punitive action as per the rules.

FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin called upon the businessmen to run their business with honesty.

He said that the whole world is going through an unusual situation right now and traders need to be more responsible at that time.

The FBCCI will not take responsibility for a few dishonest businessmen, he said.

The president also said that 99 percent businessmen do their business fairly, and they should work together to prevent a handful of dishonest traders.

The FBCCI chief further urged the shop owners’ associations to control the retail market price.

At the same time, he called upon the traders for decreasing the prices in festivals as the other countries do.

He said that the Control of Essential Commodities Act is a very old one.

“As the country has been developing fast over the recent years and the trend will be continued further, the Essential Commodities Act should be amended.”

In this connection, he said FBCCI has already discussed with the Commerce Ministry and Consumer Rights Protection Department in this regard.

Md. Jashim Uddin said that the forthcoming budget is a very crucial one due to the current world perspective.

He said that giving relief to the people and curbing the inflation should be the priorities in the upcoming budget.

Tax and duty burden on daily essentials should be taken away and the revenue can be collected from imposing extra tax on luxury items, he added.

FBCCI Director Abu Motaleb, Harun Or Roshid, Former President of Moulvibazar Babosayee Samity Alhaj Abdur Razzak, General Secretary of the present Committee Azmol Hossain Bablu also spoke at the meeting.

Among others, FBCCI Vice-President Md. Amin Helaly, Md. Habib Ullah Dawn, M A Razzak Khan Raj were also present at the discussion meeting.

After the meeting, the FBCCI leaders visited a number of wholesale shops at Moulavibazar.

Source: United News of Bangladesh