The New Nation - Internet Edition

A.T.M.Nurun Nabi

Bangladeshi expatriates working in different countries of the world remited a sum of US$ 406.39 million during the first 20 days of the current month of September, according to reports of Bangladesh Bank released on Wednesday. The inward remitance in September of the fiscal 2006-07 stood at US $446.00 million which is almost certain to be exceeded.

Bangladeshi expatriates remited 128.41 million dollars during the 3Q of September (16-20), 145.47 million dollars during the 2Q (9-13) and 132.51 million dollars during the 1Q (2-6), says the reports.

Bangladeshi expatriates remited 43.91 m$ during the 3Q through four nationalised commercial banks (NCB), 1.89m $ through two specialised banks, 79.98 m $ through 30 private commercial banks and 2.63 m $ through nine foreign commercial banks. Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) secured the top position in streamlining remitance with 27.01 m $ followed by Sonali Bank 23.11 m $, Agrani Bank 11.70 m $, Utara Bank Limited 8.67 m $, National Bank Limited (NBP) 7.59 m $, Pubali Bank Limited 7.17 m S and Janata bank 6.97 m $.

Out of 406.39 million dollars during the first 20 days of the month, remitance through four NCB amounts to 149.53 m $, 5.35 m $ through two specialised banks, 242.19 m $ through 30 private commercial banks and 9.32 m $ through nine foreign commercial banks.

Sonali Bank facilitated the highest remitance of 79.96 m $ followed by IBBL 77.83 m $, Agrani Bank 38.13 m $, Utara Bank 25.93 m $, Janata Bank 25.80 m $, NBL 25.11 m $, Pubali Bank 22.89 m S and BRAC Bank 16.68 m $. The inward remitance through Rupali Bank, the 4th NCB, is low because the transfer of the bank to the Saudi Price may take more time, as both the parties are yet to reach consensus on some issues. The bank fetched just 5.64 m $ during the first 20 days of September, which, however, is more than by any foreign nationalised bank and most of the private banks.

Bangladeshi expatriates remited a total of US $ 5978.47 million during the fiscal 2006-07 walking past the past They remited US $ 567.11 m $ in July compared with 412.80 m $ during the corresponding month of the last fiscal and 470.95 m $ in August compared with 471.22 M $ during the corresponding month of the last fiscal.

Speakers underscored the need for mainstreaming strategic environmental planning in urban development for greater Dhaka to meet the twin challenges of rapid urbanization and industrialization. They also identified institutional gaps as a major hindrance to planned development of the Dhaka city and recommended a four-set of policy actions that will eventually help keep pace with the increasing urbanization.

Strengthening of regulatory mechanisms, improving governance, expanding infrastructure development, and engaging with weak and vulnerable groups are four set of recommendations that came during a policy dialogue on Mainstreaming Strategic Environmental Planning in Urban Development for Greater Dhaka here this afternoon.

C S Karim, Advisor for the Ministry of Environment and Forest, and Adriana Damianova, South Asia Sustainable Development, Environment, World Bank participated in the inaugural session of the policy dialogue, chaired by Professor Ainun Nishat of IUCN.

A number of key policy makers from various agencies, such as: the Dhaka WASA, Dhaka City Corporation, and Department of Environment, including representatives from the Centre for Urban Studies, and law enforcing agency, participated in this policy dialogue, organized by the World Bank, The speakers highlighted the need for a set of policy directives for urban planning, with a focus on strategy for land use.

They called for critical atention to several cross-cuting sectoral policies that do not capture practical guidelines for urban planning and development To ensure compliance by polluting industries, they also recommended the development of incentives and economic instruments for enforcement of the Environmental Policy, 1992 and the Environmental Conservation Act 1995 on industrial pollution.

The potential risk of conflict of interests regarding urban planning mandate and land development responsibilities was also discussed. There is a need to reconcile the multiple administrative authorities for urban planning as well as sectoral planning in the DMDP, they observed.

It was also suggested for improving transparency of institutions by making internal planning, procurement, and other development through a mandatory disclosure of information Act Close examination of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures to make it more effective was also recommended.

Recommendations also came for acquiring updated information on six key sectoral areas, such as: land development, water supply, waste management, pollution management, transportation and industrial development This will eventually help in coordinated efforts involving sector plans and regional master plan for development and implementation of DAPs.

They also suggested revising Pouroshavas mandates for implementing plans in developing fringe areas. It was recommended to engage with vulnerable stakeholders, involving Pourashava ward commitees, to reach a consensus over critical issues.

A discussion meeting and Iftar Mahfil on 'Ramadan : Our Social responsibilities and Role of Islami Bank' organised by Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was held on Tuesday, at Hotel Purbani International. M. Didarul Anwar, Secretary, Ministry of Information, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was present in the function as the chief guest Presided over by Commodore M. Ataur Rahman (Rtd), former Chairman, Board of Directors of the Bank, the key discussion was presented by Professor Dr. Abul Hasan M. Sadek, Vice Chancellor, Asian University of Bangladesh and addressed by Kazi Harun-ar-Rashed, former Chairman, Board of Directors and M. Fariduddin Ahmad, Executive President of the Bank. The function was atended by journalists of different media and intellectuals.

M. Diadarul Anwar, Secretary, Ministry of information said in his presidential speech that Ramadan is the month of self-refinement, mutual compassion and equality. Ramadan is the ardent example of the fact that Islam has secured the right of all people irrespective of race, color and creed. It inspires us to achieve peace, fraternity and patience.

He called upon the journalists to encourage the rich for performing their social responsibilities so that all stages of people of the society could be provided with food, cloth, residence education and health.

Other speakers said, Ramadan teaches us to implement the Islamic ideology completely. The superiority of Islam has proved over the conventional ideology. The necessity of Islam is being tremendously felt as the conventional financial system has failed to secure welfare for the mankind.

They said that the pre-requisite of Islamic finance is the proper distribution of assets and social justice. Ramdan gives us instruction relating to social justice.

Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) has demanded price review of government controlled drugs which remained stalled since 1994.

The Directorate of Drug Administration controls prices of 117 essential drug items. Even though according to the Pricing Policy, the government is supposed to review prices of controlled drugs every year based on inflation and change in exchange rate, but the government has not reviewed the prices of this categories since 1994. The manufacturers of controlled category are facing huge loss due to increase in prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients in international market

Prices of pharmaceuticals are hardly controlled any where in the world except Bangladesh and India. In Bangladesh, such control and irrational pricing of drugs has discouraged the local manufacturers to produce some essential drugs where their selling price does not cover even cost of production. This has encouraged illegal entry of imported products and the patients are paying 15-20 times more.

For example, the approved price of Phenobarbitone is Tk 0.30 per tablet as compared to Tk 1.92 in India and Bangladeshi patients are buying Indian substitutes of the same at Tk 5 coming through illegal means. It is clearly evident that such irrational control of prices has resulted in losses not only to the manufacturers but also to the government of Bangladesh and more importantly the poor patients of the country.

UNB, Pirojpur

Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) installed 147 tubewells in the district costing Tk 60 lakh in last fiscal year to ensure supply of drinking water.

Of the total, 30 tubewells were installed in Sadar upazila, 19 in Nazirpur, 22 in Swarupkati, 17 in Kaukhali, 20 in Bhandaria, 29 in Mathbaria and 10 in Zianagar upazila.

Besides, the department also distributed 2,839 sets of sanitary latrines among the people at low cost during the same period.

With the installation of the tubewells, about 2 lakh people of the district are geting supply of pure water, official sources said.

Islamai Bank Bangladesh Limited, Highway Branch, Sherpur Bogra, arranged an Iftar Mahfil on Tuesday, the 25th September, 2007 at the Branch premises with A H M Saiyeedul Islam, Assistant Vice President & Manager of the branch, in the chair.

. Zakir Hossain, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sherpur Upazila, (Bogra) spoke to the function as the chief guest while Abdul Kader, Executive Vice President and Zonal Head, Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. Zonal Office, Bogra, presented the key note on " The Meaning of Ramadan & the Significance of Jakat" as the chief speaker.

Among,others, Rustam Ali, journalist & Ex-Principal of Sherpur Degree College, Sherpur, Bogra, and Principal Moulana Khalilur Rahman, Principal of the Sherpur Shahidia Alia Madrasah, Shepur Bogra, Advocate Abdul Gafur and Advocate Rajuddin took part in the discussion.