Possibilities there, risks too
June 10, 2011
Big budget eyes higher growth under favourable factors, pins hope on smooth implementation of plans
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has eyed a higher economic growth of 7 percent — the highest for Bangladesh if we exclude the 1972 level — and expected to lower inflation to 7.5 percent, both of which are achievable.
But for that he needs policy reforms and smooth public investment, both of which have not been clearly defined.
Moreover, his growth is subject to a number of factors which have to go right.
The finance minister has pinned his hope on a rebound of the Read more
Black money beckons
June 2, 2011
Govt may offer amnesty for investors in share market, infrastructure
The government may allow whitening money in two sectors in the next national budget under pressure from interest groups.
It considers giving scope for whitening money only in the stockmarket and the infrastructure fund, not any other sector, said a finance ministry official asking not to be named.
The issue of whitening money was discussed in detail in a high-level government meeting a few days back, the official said.
The government may give scope for whitening money in the stockmarket on Read more
Only people’s graft to be under watch
February 27, 2011
Changes to anti-corruption law kept under wraps; from president to UP members to be beyond ACC’s jurisdiction
Maintaining utmost secrecy the government is set to amend the Anti-Corruption Commission laws clipping the anti-graft watchdog’s authority to file cases against any public servant beginning from the head of state to the members of union parishads.
Besides, the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently finalised nine more amendments keeping the ACC completely ignorant about it. Since then repeated attempts by the commission to get a written copy of the finalised amendments turned Read more
WC off to wow start
February 18, 2011
Bangladesh face India in tomorrow’s opener of the 14-nation cricket fiesta
Outside, the blaring drone of a hundred makeshift trumpets held testament to the thousands who had queued up outside the stadium. Inside the Bangabandhu National Stadium, however, an explosive festival of colour, music, dance and unceasing noise signalled the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 which will be jointly held in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. Amidst flashing strobe lights, fluttery LED kites and a thousand irresistible cheers both in and out of the stadium, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the Read more
Trees dying in Dhaka
November 12, 2010
Experts clueless about reasons
The green canopy is shrinking in parts of the capital. More than 550 trees have died while many have fallen into decay in several areas in the last four years.
Nearly 500 trees died in the Bashundhara residential area, 20 around the Baridhara Lake, 25 near the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and ten more at the Farmgate Park.
Botanists and soil experts still remain clueless about the reasons behind the death or decay of the trees.
Md Jasim Uddin, associate professor of Read more
Reclaim grabbed canals
November 7, 2010
Govt asked
Different NGO activists and politicians yesterday demanded government’s effective measures to recover the illegally occupied canals and wetlands in the city to maintain ecological balance and to make the city liveable.
There were around 50 canals in and around the capital. But with increasing population, the canals and wetlands have been filled up for housing, creating a threat to the ecosystem.
It is necessary to recover illegally occupied canals for survival of the city-dwellers, Read more
35 expelled on 1st day of JSC, JDC exams
November 5, 2010
Thirty-five students were expelled for cheating on the first day of the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations on Thursday, the education ministry control room said.
A teacher was also expelled for helping students to cheat in the exams hall, the control room said, adding that 1,01,473 students had not taken the exam on the day. Examinations in two Bangla papers were held on the day.
A total of 15,05,391 students of 27,221 educational institutions registered for taking the Read more
Stalking sets alarm bell ringing
October 26, 2010
Stalking of women has taken a turn for the worse with a growing number of people being killed or maimed for trying to resist the menace.
The death of Mizanur Rashid, a Natore college teacher, exposes the vulnerability of those protesting harassment of women.
Mizanur, a chemistry teacher at Lokmanpur College in Bagatipara upazila of Natore, died at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital on Sunday, 12 days after he was beaten up by two local Read more
Children toil in brass hell
September 17, 2010
The melting brass glows in the dimly lit workshop where a coal furnace rages at around 900 degrees Celsius. By the fire, a master carefully casts molten brass into an earthen mould. As soon as the molten metal touches the mould, it ignites with a burst of flame burning a layer of soil and burnt engine oil in the iron case. A pungent smell fills the air.
Next to the master a thirteen-year-old boy, Nayeem, closely watches the procedures. Nayeem is learning the trade. The temperature in the congested tin-shed workshop rises Read more
E-stalkers on the prowl
September 2, 2010
Faceless criminals use cell phones, internet to harass women of all ages; law hugely inadequate to tackle the silent epidemic
While conventional stalking has received much attention lately, harassment through mobile phone and the internet has grown to be a silent epidemic in the last few years, experts and victims said.
The Daily Star has recently interviewed 30 women at random about the issue, and found every one of them has been harassed electronically.
“It is sexual harassment of the new millennium,” said Sultana Kamal, rights activist and former adviser to the caretaker government. “And almost all the victims are Read more