Day: June 30, 2022

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has directed state-owned Petrobangla to return Tk 12,227.44 crore to its two original funds—the energy security fund (ESF) and the Gas Development Fund (GDF).

The energy regulator’s latest directive which came as the BERC Order No-2022/7, in detail, was released on June 27 and uploaded on its website on the same day.

However, BERC gave its brief order on June 4 raising gas prices by average 23 percent at retail consumer level.

As per the BERC Verdict, the Petrobangla has to now return Tk 9227.44 crore to ESF Fund and Tk 3000 crore with interest to the GDF fund which the organization had taken away and used for different purposes.

The verdict did not dictate a specific date for the Petrobangla as to when it has to return the funds.

The order came as a follow-up of the public hearing on gas prices held on March 21 in the city’s BIAM Auditorium where different consumer right groups, including Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) termed the ESF and GDF fund as consumers’ money which they paid in addition to their bills for gas field development and security purposes.

But the Petrobangla used some of the funds for different other purposes while deposited to the government exchequer as per a Finance Ministry order.

The CAB and other right groups pleaded with the BERC to return the amount to the original funds and ensure its use only for gas field development and the gas sector’s security purpose through a transparent way which will be monitored by consumers representatives.

CAB Vice President M Shamsul Alam welcomed the verdict and said that now an obligation has been created on the part of the Petrobangla to return the fund.

He said if Petrobangla does not abide by the BERC order, the regulator can punish or fine the responsible officials of Petrobangla for violating the verdict

He said if the Petrobangla fails to fulfill its legal obligation, the CAB will move the court to force the organization to implement the order.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The hawkers who ply their trade on the Daulatdia-Paturia ferry route are newly worried about running out of business at Daulatdia ferry ghat now that the Padma Bridge opened for traffic on June 25.

The government had provided a clarification prior to the opening that ferry services, at least in terms of availability and legal permits or schedules, could continue as before. But the challenge was always going to be competing with the $3.6 billion bridge as a preferred mode to cross the river.

When it comes to public demand, they simply cannot compete with the bridge in the long run. And it now looks like their demise may come even sooner than expected. Alongside them, hundreds of hawkers who used to depend on the heavy footfall of launch passengers are faced with the same fate.

During a recent visit to the Daulatdia Ghat, UNB’s Rajbari correspondent learned that the shops situated along both sides of the ferry ghat were already closing. Some hawkers had covered their stalls in polythene.

The lack of ferry/launch passengers has also meant the usual bustle of the ghat is gone, and launch staff are no longer engaged in aggressive tactics to pull customers away from competitors.

Besides, passengers have to pay Tk 5 as entry fee to enter the launch ghat. A few passengers were seen waiting at the launch ghat after purchasing their tickets.

Alamin Bapari, a collector of entry fees at Daulatdia ferry ghat, said they used to collect fees from 6 am to 9 pm each day and some 4000/5000 people on average would go through the ghat each day, even just prior to the inauguration of Padma Bridge.

That number has already dropped to a mere 1200-1500, which is way under even half the number of passengers they served before.

Currently, passenger buses are moving over the Padma Bridge from Faridpur and people are using the bus to cross the bridge – a long-cherished dream for many. This is the main reason behind low turnout of passengers, said Alamin.

Nurul Anwar Milon, representative of the Launch Owners Association of the ghat, said “The number of passengers has obviously come down due to the opening of Padma Bridge. The actual situation (the effect on their business)will be known after some days. If it prevails for long, it will be very difficult for us to meet our expenses.”

Afaz Uddin, a spicy puffed rice vendor, said “We used to sell puffed rice worth Tk 1200-1400 in a day, for a profit of Tk 500-700 in a day. But currently, we hardly sell Tk 700-800-worth (puffed rice)in a day. How do we survive now?”

A number of physically-challenged people, who collected alms from the ghat area, including one Ratan Sardar, said they are unable to get any gainful employment and hence must depend completely on alms. “We hardly earned Tk 400-500 in a day. Now we are worried about our income.”

Abdur Rashid, manager of the MV Nupur, said a total of 34 launches of the same company were operative on the two popular routes in the country: Daulatdia-Paturia and Aricha-Nagarbari routes.

Of those, 20-22 were running on the Daulatdia-Paturia, but already the number of vessels on the route has come down to 16. There are 1300-1400 staff of the company and the maximum salary was paid from the launch fares, he said.

Aftab Uddin, traffic inspector of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Daulatdia ghat, said the number of launches on the route has declined due to the poor number of passengers.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Around 50 spotted doves have been poisoned to death at an Aman paddy field at Charpuramukhi village under Haimchar upazila of Chandpur.

On information, Haimchar upazila agriculture officer Debbrato Sarkar visited the spot Wednesday afternoon.

Debbrato Sarkar told UNB that these ill-fated doves used to come to the Aman paddy seedbed in search of food. Some locals killed the doves by giving poison.

“It is inhumane. Killing birds is a crime and a threat to the environment. I have asked the locals not to kill birds like dove,” he said.

An investigation is underway to find out the culprits and bring them to the book, added the agriculture officer.

Earlier on February 25, more than a hundred of doves were poisoned to death in the same upazila.

Farmer Swapan Dewan was fined Tk 2,000 for committing the crime, said Debbrato Sarkar.

The spotted dove is a small and somewhat long-tailed pigeon that is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia including Bangladesh.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Experts expressed concern over Bangladesh’s entry into the International Energy Charter Treaty (IECT) as it may allow the foreign companies a free hand with their investment.

Though Dhaka signed “International Energy Charter” on May 20 in 2015, it is still unclear if it approved the deal.

Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, professor at the International Relation Department of Dhaka University, voiced the concern while making a presentation at a dialogue with journalists at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (BSK) organized by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

The keynote presentation was tiled: Bangladesh Energy Transition Policy and Energy Charter Treaty.

Vice president of CAB Prof M Shamsul Alam, who presided over the function, said it’s not clear if Bangladesh has approved the charter and got full membership to the organization.

“If Bangladesh approves the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), it will bring disaster to the country’s energy sector as the country will virtually lose its sovereign authority to control the foreign companies operating and those who will invest in the future,” he said.

Prof Tanzimuddin said a signatory to the ECT will have an obligation to allow foreign investment without any commitment to use local resources and equipment.

As a result, the local resources and equipment, despite having all efficiency, will have no use in any project in Bangladesh.

He said if the country wants to get out of the ECT, it will have to wait for 20 years as its obligation will exist for the period.

He also noted that in case of dispute with any foreign investor, it has to be settled through an international arbitration court and the country has to share half of the cost no matter whether it loses or wins the legal battle.

He said many signatories including Germany, Sweden and Hungary faced bad experience in dealing with foreign investment.

Now, they are trying to get out of the ECT to regain control on foreign investment, he added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a British fairy tale story from 19th century. This story has several versions. In one version, a little girl entered a forest, where she found a house. There she discovered three bowls of porridge, one was too hot, another was too cold and the last bowl was perfectly warm. Then she ate the warm porridge. This story gives us a lession which is called Goldilock Rule. Let’s find out, how to take on challenges in life, career, business and stay motivated in the light of Goldilock principle.

What Is the Goldilock Principle?

Life is full of challenges, which make us better people and help us grow and learn. A challenge can be anything ranging from trying new things to learning something new. Challenges can be physical or mental, which can push yourself to your limits.

Moreover, challenges are important because they can make you stronger and will help you become the person you want to be. But, how do you stay motivated during the challenging period? The answer is hidden in the Goldilock Rule.

The Goldilock Principle states that challenges should not be too hard or too easy and should fit the individual’s ability level. It should be just right. While setting a challenge, it is important to strike a balance between ability and desire.

People don’t feel challenged when things are too easy and may stop doing that task. On the other hand, when things get too hard, people may get frustrated and give up before they reach the end of the journey.

Examples of Goldilock Rule?

The Goldilock Principle applies in parenting, where parents are advised to ensure that they are not giving their children too much or too little attention. This principle is also applied in different fields, such as when it comes to designing products, services, games, and more.

For example, if tennis is your passion, try playing a match with a four-year-old if you are an avid tennis player. Your opponent will be incredibly easy to beat. However, if you play a professional tennis player like Roger Federer or Serena Williams, you will rapidly lose interest in the match since they would be too challenging to beat.

Now consider facing off against someone who has equivalent skills to you in tennis. The game plays out; you win some points and lose some. You will have a great chance to win if you are truly committed. So, eventually, your focus narrows, distractions vanish, and you become fully engrossed in the playing field. This is a problem of manageable difficulty, and it illustrates a variant of the Goldilocks Principle.

How To Apply Goldilock Rule for Taking Challenges In Life?

When it comes to taking on challenges in life, many people seem to think that they need to do something that is either too difficult or too easy. However, this is the wrong approach. The “Goldilocks Rule” can help people find the perfect challenge for them.

As the rule states, challenges should be up to your level, and they should not be too difficult or too easy; rather it should be just “right”. Thus people can learn new skills or gain new knowledge while having some fun.

When you are looking for a challenge, there are a few things to keep in mind.

– First, make sure the challenge is something that you are interested in. If it is something you cannot commit to, it will be difficult to stick with.

– Second, find a challenge that is both challenging and achievable. Do not try to take on something that is too hard or out of your league.

– Finally, set realistic goals for yourself and do not expect to finish the challenge immediately. It is better to work on it over time rather than taking an unachievable target and giving up too soon. Once you have achieved your goal, make sure that the activity is fun and enjoyable.

Before you start searching for a challenge, you should make sure that you have the skills you need. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you can complete the challenge in the way you want. Also, look for a challenge offering an opportunity to learn some new knowledge, skill or experience.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to do something challenging. However, don’t be too ambitious. Otherwise, you might find yourself spending so much time on a near-to-impossible challenge which becomes a burden for you later.

How To Stay Motivated in Building Career and Business?

If you are trying to build a career or business, then you should know that you will have to put in a lot of hard work to get there. This is why you need to find some level of challenges or targets that motivates you to keep going.

Find a challenge that you enjoy

Find something that you enjoy doing. When you are in the middle of your workday, you will be more motivated to get things done. You will contunually succeed, if you enjoy what you are doing.

Create goals for yourself

Set some realistic goals for yourself. You can either set goals for yourself at the start of the year, or you can set them at the end of each month. Don’t try to accomplish too much in a short amount of time, or you will end up being overwhelmed and discouraged. Make gradual progress and stay focused on the end goal.

You are required to be consistent to acquire what you do. If you are not consistent, then you won’t get the results. To stay consistent, set a schedule and stick to it. Establishing a routine will help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Also, reward yourself for reaching goals.

Be patient

You need to be patient. If you are not patient, then you won’t be able to get the results that you desired for. When you do not achieve what you want, do not give up. Your target must be relaistec and achievable. Have patience and do hardwork to reach your target. Try to focus on your dream until you get the end result.

Final Words

Goldilocks Rule is an approach to take on challenges that can help you succeed. By being mindful of what is “just right,” you can find the balance between too hard and too easy, resulting in a challenge that is just right for you. Remember to take things slow and be patient, and you will be on your way to a successful career or business.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has sought a joint blue economy approach to harness the untapped marine resources that can be useful in tackling poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, energy crisis and ecological imbalances towards strengthening the sustainable development process.

“Oceans are the potential and versatile resource-frontiers for humankind, but remains under-explored and unexploited,” said secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd.) Md. Khurshed Alam.

Bangladesh along with some other countries co-hosted the event titled “Fostering international and regional cooperation in support of the sustainable development of the blue economy in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS” organised by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 2nd UN Ocean Conference being held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The vice-president of Tanzania, foreign and tourism minister of Tonga, minister of international development of Norway, ministers, high representatives and experts from the member states also attended the event, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Khurshed emphasized the need of fostering international and regional cooperation to develop strategies in support of the sustainable development of the blue economy in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

He elaborated that states and organizations in developing regions may not have the capacity to develop and manage their own shared marine resources, as they lack the necessary information, expertise or the financial capacity to follow through with planning and operations.

External assistance can be valuable, and sometimes essential, in establishing shared international marine resources arrangements, Khurshed said.

Panelists opined that regional and international cooperation is crucial to develop marine scientific knowledge and research capacity to leverage the benefits offered by the blue economy.

They said transfer of technology can create enabling conditions in the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS states to participate effectively in existing and emerging ocean sectors of the blue economy. Representatives also viewed strongly that strategic partnership is necessary for harnessing the benefits of the blue economy.

The seminar was wrapped up with commitments to forging wider regional and international cooperation, devising mechanisms for technology transfer and financing the blue economy.

Source: United News of Bangladesh